Veneto Region for quality cinema
About this good practice
This initiative became a fixed appointment in the cultural calendar, scheduled during about 1/2 months, both in spring and in autumn, every year since 2008 (10-14 days per year, on Tuesday).
The objective is to create an occasion to attract the public in theaters and to build their loyalty, offering at the same time the opportunity to enjoy arthouse cinema at a convenient price and to go to the cinema on an unusual day of the week. In this way it is given to cinema operators the opportunity to benefit from a greater flow of users during the week: many users take the opportunity to see other movies in addition to the proposed one, and they discover the pleasure of going to the cinema on less crowded days.
The proposed movies are selected between arthouse works (recognized as such by the Ministry of Culture), with appreciable research and experimentation characteristics.
Theaters participate on a voluntary basis in the initiative, and Veneto Region hires the projection rooms so that costs for theater operators are fully covered.
Online training lessons carried out by professors and trainers from the University of Padua, Bologna and Udine were organized for cinema operators to train them both in cinematographic language and in their relationship with the public.
The main stakeholders were Professors and trainers from these universities, professionals in the cinema industry, film critics.
The beneficiaries of this initiative are theaters and their operators, and the public.
Expert opinion
Resources needed
The cost sustained by Veneto Region for the last editions of this initiative, mainly for projection rooms rental, also for communication and administrative costs are: € 286.500 in 2022; € 260.000 in 2023; €160.000 in 2024.
AGIS Cinema association contributed by dedicating 5 people from its offices.
Evidence of success
This practice began in 2008 and is still re-confirmed every year, achieving good success with the public.
The participation showed a growing trend in the last years (21.272 people in 2022; 49.965 in 2023 and 52.380 in 2024) while at the same time the investments from the public budget decreased.
Potential for learning or transfer
The first positive aspect is the attention paid, through the lower price, to people and families more in difficulty.
This is a practice that can easily be exported to any territorial area, and in fact it is now being proposed even at national level. The price was fixed at 3 Euros (increased to 4 in the 2025 edition) to encourage viewers in choosing filmic works which, probably, at full price they would never have chosen. This way the public is given the possibility of a wider choice: everyone can access the cinema to watch the film in its appropriate location.
Further information
Documents
quality_cinema_2025_calendar.png
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.