Latest news with #NicolaBorrelli
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Italian film industry rocked by ‘fantasy film' linked to American director sought in double murder
A police officer walks past a sealed-off area where forensic police work at the site of the discovery of the body of an infant and the infant's mother, in Rome's Villa Pamphili park, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Francesco Benvenuti/LaPresse via AP) ROME — The head of the Italian Culture Ministry's film department resigned Thursday following revelations that an American film director accused in a double homicide had secured nearly US$1 million in tax credits from the ministry for a film he never made. The Culture Ministry announced the resignation of Nicola Borrelli in a brief statement overnight, thanking him for his service. It didn't provide a reason. But the scandal over the 'fantasy film' tax credits erupted soon after Greek authorities on the island of Skiathos arrested the California-born Francis Kaufman last month on a European arrest warrant issued by Italy. Italian prosecutors have accused Kaufman in the deaths of an infant girl and her mother, whose bodies were found naked in Rome's Villa Pamphili park on June 7. Kaufman, who was using the alias Rexal Ford, is currently awaiting extradition to Italy. State-run RAI television has said that he told Italian prosecutors via video call that he was innocent, but declined to answer further questions without a lawyer. The Culture Ministry has confirmed that Kaufman, using the alias Ford and his Tintangel Films LLC company, had obtained the tax credit for a film, 'Stelle della Notte' (Stars of the Night), that was never made. The confirmation came in a statement last week in which the ministry confirmed it had handed over to prosecutors all the documentation it had in connection with the film, a co-production with an Italian firm Coevolutions Srl. Italian media have published ministry documentation showing that 'Stelle della Notte' had obtained 836,439.08 euros in tax credits in 2023. Such tax credits are a regular part of the financial incentives Italy gives to filmmakers to produce and distribute films in the country. On Wednesday, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli told lawmakers that the ministry was co-operating fully with prosecutors, noting that he had personally accompanied the police when they arrived at the ministry June 27 to seize the material. In an appearance in the Senate chamber, Giuli acknowledged a long-standing problem in the ministry of financing and tax credits for projects that never get made. 'No more fantasy films,' he vowed. The resignation of Borrelli was the second earthquake this week in the Italian film industry, following the resignation over the weekend of the head of the storied Cinecitta film studio, Chiara Sbarigia. Sbarigia said in a statement that she was stepping down to concentrate on her other job as president of Italy's audio-visual producers association. Italian media and lawmakers had blasted her dual jobs as a conflict of interest, a claim that she and Giuli have denied. Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press
Washington Post
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Italian film industry rocked by 'fantasy film' linked to American director sought in double murder
ROME — The head of the Italian Culture Ministry's film department resigned Thursday following revelations that an American film director accused in a double homicide had secured nearly $1 million in tax credits from the ministry for a film he never made. The Culture Ministry announced the resignation of Nicola Borrelli in a brief statement overnight, thanking him for his service. It didn't provide a reason. But the scandal over the 'fantasy film' tax credits erupted soon after Greek authorities on the island of Skiathos arrested the California-born Francis Kaufman last month on a European arrest warrant issued by Italy. Italian prosecutors have accused Kaufman in the deaths of an infant girl and her mother, whose bodies were found naked in Rome's Villa Pamphili park on June 7. Kaufman, who was using the alias Rexal Ford, is currently awaiting extradition to Italy. State-run RAI television has said that he told Italian prosecutors via video call that he was innocent, but declined to answer further questions without a lawyer. The Culture Ministry has confirmed that Kaufman, using the alias Ford and his Tintangel Films LLC company, had obtained the tax credit for a film, 'Stelle della Notte' (Stars of the Night), that was never made. The confirmation came in a statement last week in which the ministry confirmed it had handed over to prosecutors all the documentation it had in connection with the film, a co-production with an Italian firm Coevolutions Srl. Italian media have published ministry documentation showing that 'Stelle della Notte' had obtained 836,439.08 euros in tax credits in 2023. Such tax credits are a regular part of the financial incentives Italy gives to filmmakers to produce and distribute films in the country. On Wednesday, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli told lawmakers that the ministry was cooperating fully with prosecutors, noting that he had personally accompanied the police when they arrived at the ministry June 27 to seize the material. In an appearance in the Senate chamber, Giuli acknowledged a long-standing problem in the ministry of financing and tax credits for projects that never get made. 'No more fantasy films,' he vowed. The resignation of Borrelli was the second earthquake this week in the Italian film industry, following the resignation over the weekend of the head of the storied Cinecitta film studio, Chiara Sbarigia. Sbarigia said in a statement that she was stepping down to concentrate on her other job as president of Italy's audio-visual producers association. Italian media and lawmakers had blasted her dual jobs as a conflict of interest, a claim that she and Giuli have denied.
Associated Press
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Italian film industry rocked by 'fantasy film' linked to American director sought in double murder
ROME (AP) — The head of the Italian Culture Ministry's film department resigned Thursday following revelations that an American film director accused in a double homicide had secured nearly $1 million in tax credits from the ministry for a film he never made. The Culture Ministry announced the resignation of Nicola Borrelli in a brief statement overnight, thanking him for his service. It didn't provide a reason. But the scandal over the 'fantasy film' tax credits erupted soon after Greek authorities on the island of Skiathos arrested the California-born Francis Kaufman last month on a European arrest warrant issued by Italy. Italian prosecutors have accused Kaufman in the deaths of an infant girl and her mother, whose bodies were found naked in Rome's Villa Pamphili park on June 7. Kaufman, who was using the alias Rexal Ford, is currently awaiting extradition to Italy. State-run RAI television has said that he told Italian prosecutors via video call that he was innocent, but declined to answer further questions without a lawyer. The Culture Ministry has confirmed that Kaufman, using the alias Ford and his Tintangel Films LLC company, had obtained the tax credit for a film, 'Stelle della Notte' (Stars of the Night), that was never made. The confirmation came in a statement last week in which the ministry confirmed it had handed over to prosecutors all the documentation it had in connection with the film, a co-production with an Italian firm Coevolutions Srl. Italian media have published ministry documentation showing that 'Stelle della Notte' had obtained 836,439.08 euros in tax credits in 2023. Such tax credits are a regular part of the financial incentives Italy gives to filmmakers to produce and distribute films in the country. On Wednesday, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli told lawmakers that the ministry was cooperating fully with prosecutors, noting that he had personally accompanied the police when they arrived at the ministry June 27 to seize the material. In an appearance in the Senate chamber, Giuli acknowledged a long-standing problem in the ministry of financing and tax credits for projects that never get made. 'No more fantasy films,' he vowed. The resignation of Borrelli was the second earthquake this week in the Italian film industry, following the resignation over the weekend of the head of the storied Cinecitta film studio, Chiara Sbarigia. Sbarigia said in a statement that she was stepping down to concentrate on her other job as president of Italy's audio-visual producers association. Italian media and lawmakers had blasted her dual jobs as a conflict of interest, a claim that she and Giuli have denied.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Italy's Cinecittà Studios Veers Towards Digital Age With Large LED Wall as New Soundstage Prepares to Host Mel Gibson's ‘Passion of the Christ' Sequel
Following the glory days of Hollywood filmmaking in Rome during the 1950s and 1960s, Italy is once again becoming a magnet for international productions – particularly from Hollywood. And the main driver is a combination of the country's tax incentives and Rome's Cinecittà studio, which is being refurbished and is now a state-of-the-art digital age facility. That was the main takeaways of a panel held as party of Variety's Global Conversations Summit at the Cannes Film Festival. More from Variety 1989 Chile World Cup Qualifier Scandal Spotlighted in 'Simulacro' (EXCLUSIVE) Next Gen World Sales Prize at Iberseries Platino Industria Renewed by Egeda, FilmSharks (EXCLUSIVE) Cannes Caméra d'Or Winner Anthony Chen Begins Production on 'We Are All Strangers,' Completing His 'Growing Up' Trilogy (EXCLUSIVE) Nicola Borrelli, head of the film department of Italy's culture ministry, provided a detailed rundown of the country's 40% rebate for international film and TV productions. 'In Italy there is a €20 million euros ($22 million) per year cap per company,' he said. But, Borrelli added, 'there is no cap per project.' So there have been lots of international shoots with much higher budgets that have been able to tap into the rebate through different companies, he said. Here's another big plus that Italy's rebates have to offer. While other countries offer a similar tax credit percentage, 'in Italy 70% of our tax credit can be used immediately during filming. It's cash back as you go,' Borrelli pointed out. Cinecittà's sales and business manager Francesca Rotondo underlined that the iconic facilities are in the process of adding five more studios, raising the total number of soundstages from 19 to 24. 'These new studios will ensure a 60% increase in terms of studio space capacity,' Rotondo said. They include the new Studio 22, which is more than 38,000 square feet and in September will host Mel Gibson's 'The Resurrection of the Christ,' and Cinecittà's Studio 18, home to Europe's largest and most modern LED wall. Steve Jelley, producer and CO-CEO of London-based Dimension Studio, which recently partnered with Cinecittà to help make it a prime virtual production destination, said when he arrived at the Cinecittà lot to work with Roland Emmerich on his gladiator series, 'Those About to Die' (40% of which was shot using the LED wall), he didn't realize how many great open-air Rome sets the studio has, including Circus Maximus, and how great its art department is. The combination of these elements enabled Emmerich to shoot the 10 episode series in six months. Shooting recently wrapped at Cinecittà on the U.S. sci-fi thriller 'White Mars,' headlined by Luke Newton ('Bridgerton') and Lucy Hale ('Pretty Little Liars'), and an unspecified sci fi feature set in Antarctica, both of which were filmed entirely using the LED wall at Cinecittà's Theater 18, Jelley proudly noted. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
