Mel Gibson, Trump 'Special Ambassador', & Italian Producer Andrea Iervolino Propose U.S.-Italy Co-Production Treaty
Recently appointed 'special ambassador' to Hollywood Mel Gibson and Italian producer Andrea Iervolino (Ferrari) are proposing a co-production agreement between Italy and the US, which they hope could serve as a 'pilot project' for the development of similar treaties between the US and other countries around the world.
The filmmakers are proposing that:
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•Italian producers are incentivized to make Italian films in the USA, involving American stars and therefore investing in the U.S.;
•The Italian government launches support programs for productions that strengthen cultural ties between Italy and the United States.
We understand from sources that Iervolino and Gibson met recently and agreed on the proposal. According to reports, Gibson is due to begin filming his Passion Of The Christ sequel The Resurrection Of The Christ in Italy this summer.
The main benefits of the agreement would be that it would 'allow Italian producers to develop and co-produce international films between Italy and the United States, thus opening new markets; and that it will offer the USA the opportunity to attract new foreign investments, supporting the goals of the Trump agenda'.
Iervolino, who as we recently revealed is working on a Trump biopic, estimates the value of such a pact could be as much as $10BN annually in direct investments in the US, thereby encouraging local American production while also giving future participating countries the opportunity to internationalize their local film industries. No word yet whether Gibson has floated the proposal with the U.S. government.
The goal, Iervolino says, is to officially sign the agreement during the 2025 Venice Film Festival, a cornerstone of both the Italian and international film industry. The aim is to involve 'authoritative representatives' of both industries and both governments.
An Italian-US co-production treaty has been an ambition of Italian industry for a little while. Last year there were reports that Cinecittà's Roberto Stabile was working on a similar pact with Washington but the scent went cold. Japan currently has a similar co-production treaty with the U.S.
Iervolino stated: 'The world must recognize that the American entertainment industry has always been the leading one globally: it remains the main point of reference, capable of setting the rules of the industry worldwide. Meanwhile, many countries have established incentive programs to attract foreign productions and have signed bilateral agreements with various nations — but never with the United States. This has essentially left a crucial cultural bridge unresolved. It is therefore essential to initiate a win-win agreement between the USA and the rest of the world. Mel Gibson and I are actively working in this direction, using this initial agreement with Italy as inspiration for the rest of the world.'
A draft version of fellow 'special ambassador' Jon Voight's plan for Hollywood was recently revealed by Deadline and included a 10% federal tax incentive for film and TV production and an American 'cultural test' akin to the rules in the UK. Voight, Gibson and Sylvester Stallone were appointed 'special ambassadors' by Trump earlier this year.
The background here is that the industry has been scrambled by Trump's announcement last week of tariffs on U.S. projects that shoot overseas.
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