INTESA SANPAOLO CONFIRMS ITS SUPPORT TO THE ITALIAN FILM INDUSTRY BY INVESTING IN PAOLO GENOVESE'S NEW FILM, “IMMATURI – IL VIAGGIO”

•             The Bank, together with Roma Gas & Power, invests 1.5 million euro

•             The bank's commitment to supporting the sector is confirmed for 2012

Milan/Rome, 3 January 2012 – Intesa Sanpaolo, with a view to supporting the Italian film industry, raising awareness of the opportunities offered by the investment instrument among other investors as well as providing stability to the sector's financial support, has taken part in the making of Paolo Genovese's new film, “Immaturi – Il Viaggio”, with the involvement of the Roma Gas & Power company. Overall, the Bank and the Company - the latter operating in the sale of natural gas and power - invested 1.5 million euro in the film's production.

Over the years, Intesa Sanpaolo has shown a great deal of commitment to the Italian film industry, culminating in a series of successful initiatives: from the short films of the “PerFiducia” project (now at its fourth edition), to the production of the short film “Baggage” by award-winning Bosnian director Oscar Danis Tanovic, to sponsorship of the Torino Film Festival, to the creation of the specialised Media & Entertainment Desk of Mediocredito Italiano (which, in the space of 3 years, has so far issued over 200 million euro in support of the production and distribution of cinema and television projects), all the way to its direct participation, with minority shares, in the share capital of two leading film production companies.

In 2010, implementing the new External Tax Credit regulation, Intesa Sanpaolo was the first private entity to invest directly in the production of individual cinematographic works, giving rise to the first operation of its kind in Italy with the participation in the making of the film “This must be the Place” by Paolo Sorrentino, presented at Cannes Festival in May, with a contribution of 2.5 million euro.

The Bank went on to undertake similar operations throughout 2011 as well, investing a further 2.5 million euro in four films: Ermanno Olmi's “Il villaggio di cartone”, presented out of competition at the recent Venice Festival, Pippo Mezzapesa's first work, “Il paese delle spose infelici”, presented at the Rome Festival, the next project by Matteo Garrone, “Big House”, to be released in 2012 and, lastly, Paolo Genovese's film, “Immaturi - Il Viaggio”.

Intesa Sanpaolo will continue to invest in 2012 as well, in support of film production. It has already identified three works of great interest, one by a fledgling female director and the other two by well-established and popular directors.

 

For further information

 

Intesa Sanpaolo

Media Relations

+390287963010/3531

stampa@intesasanpaolo.com

 

Studio Nobile Scarafoni

Massimo Scarafoni

+393357815801

Massimo.scarafoni@gmail.comazzurra@studionobilescarafoni.it