2013 Italian Political Elections Could Spark Changes at Rome Film Fest (Report)

ROME – The International Rome Film Festival could be in for some administrative changes, according to an article in Friday’s Corriere della Sera, which also reported the event ended its seventh edition €690,000 ($911,000) in the red.

our editor recommends

Italy Media Charges Rome Fest With Unfairly Favoring Films Made With Local Support

Rome 2012: Larry Clark's Drama 'Marfa Girl' Wins Top Honors (Updated)

James Franco's 'Tar,' 'The Motel Life' on Center Stage for Rome Fest's Second-to-Last Day

Roman Coppola, Walter Hill in Spotlight at Rome Fest

Rome Fest's Mueller Says He Wouldn't Pay to Bring Stars to Event

Highly anticipated elections in Italy next year could result in changes in leadership for the City of Rome and the Regional Government of Lazio -- where Gianni Alemanno and Renata Polverini, respectively, were both strong supporters of new festival president Paolo Ferrari and artistic director Marco Mueller -- could result in drastic changes to the festival’s board of directors. Such changes could have a major impact on the way the festival is run starting with next year’s edition.

The 2013 national elections are otherwise noteworthy for the announced political comeback of billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, who said he intends to again stand as a candidate for prime minister.

Meanwhile, the festival’s massive budget deficit came in the wake of a complete revamping of the festival under Ferrari and Mueller, and ticket sales down 15 percent compared to 2011 amid a nationwide slump in cinema attendance. 

But the event did grab its share of headlines with well-received appearances from Sylvester Stallone and James Franco, and world premieres of Walter Hill’s thriller Bullet to the Head, Dreamworks’ Rise of the Guardians, plus the international premiere adventure fantasy The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, the final installment in the Twilight Saga franchise. Larry Clark’s Marfa Girl won the festival’s international competition.

According to Corriere della Sera, Italy's newspaper of record, the festival’s budget deficit will likely be covered from the city government.

The eighth edition of the festival will take place in November 2013.