Cabinet OKs 400mn film fund

(ANSA) - Rome, January 28 - Cabinet has approved a bill that would set up a yearly 400-million-euro fund to support Italy's film industry, Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said Thursday. Up to 12% of the fund will be financed with VAT and IRES business taxes from film content users - such as TV broadcasters, telephone providers, and film distributors. The bill "increases resources significantly and innovates on the rules", Franceschini said.
    For example, it contains measures cracking down on TV channels that don't broadcast enough Italian films. "The norms are already there but they don't get respected, which is why we don't see a lot of Italian cinema in primetime," Franceschini said.
    The bill would slap sanctions on errant broadcasters, he said.