Cinecitta Under the Hammer

Silvio Berlusconi’s government entrusted Gaetano Blandini with the task of restructuring the studios’ loss-making parent company Cinecitta Holding, and the sale of the government’s 24% stake in the studio marked the completion of the studio’s privatisation.   Other members of the consortium that shared ownership of the studios included producer Aurelio De Laurentiis, fashion guru Diego Della Valle and the Italian Entertainment Group.

 The studio was founded by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in 1937, and was known in the 50s – when such big-budget Hollywood epics as Quo Vadis and Ben-Hur were filmed there – as Hollywood on the Tiber.   It was comprised of 22 soundstages covering an area in excess of 2.1 million square feet.   At the time of its auction it had most recently seen production of Abel Ferrara’s Go Go Tales and interiors for Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna. [ADD]

Further Reading:

2008

Italy: 2008