‘My Brilliant Friend’ Leads Italian TV Series Production Boom Despite RAI Budget Cuts

variety.com:

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentTV production is growing in Italy, where U.S. streamers are gradually raising their investment levels just as pubcaster RAI, which is still the industry’s main driver, is cutting back.According to local TV producers association APA, the Italian market in 2022 will generate more than €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) worth of scripted content resulting in double-digit growth.

Exports of the country’s high-end shows, such as “My Brilliant Friend,” now in its third season, and upcoming spaghetti Western saga “Django” are also gaining more traction.But though demand is increasing, the picture for Italian producers isn’t all rosy.While pubcaster RAI remains the main driver of content in Italy, its 2022 budget has been trimmed by $33 million to $176 million.

This is the second year of cuts as it tries to recover following COVID-related ad and tax revenues drops. Like many of his cohort, producer Rosario Rinaldo, head of TV production company Cross Prods. (owned by Germany’s Beta Film), bemoans the pubcaster’s shrunken resources.Rinaldo saw the budget of his crime show “Brennero” cut.“RAI remains crucial for us because they represent an alternative business model from the streamers,” says Rinaldo.

But at the moment it’s really tough working with the pubcaster, he laments. RAI could not be reached for comment.Netflix, Amazon and Disney spent a combined total of roughly $152 million on Italian scripted content in 2021.