As cinema approaches its 130th anniversary, defying early predictions that it was an invention without a future, it is worth remembering that the art form began with the short format. From the Lumière brothers’ first screening to today, many of the greatest auteurs have started in or experimented with the forge of short filmmaking, testing the images, inventions, and styles with which they would later present themselves to the world.
In this spirit, Cinecittà is promoting the search for tomorrow’s creatives and believes the short film is a vital instrument for introducing new talent to the production world. It has launched a new project dedicated to short films and young people: “Short Attacks!” This is a call to action for all Italian producers and production companies to create eight original short films directed by auteurs under 35. The projects will be fully financed by Cinecittà in collaboration with Rai Cinema. This concrete initiative represents an investment in creativity and the scouting of Italy’s future film directors.
Lucia Borgonzoni, Undersecretary for Culture, stated: “Engaging in culture and promoting its multiple expressions means not only safeguarding the grand historical and artistic heritage from our past. It also means looking to tomorrow and ensuring that the talents to come have the best conditions to write new chapters under the banner of creativity. This is why the ministry supports every action aimed at encouraging the young to engage in the arts. I am thinking, for example, of the financial effort sustained each year to educate young people in cinematic and audiovisual language through the National Plan for Cinema and Images for Schools, or the ‘Corto che Passione!’ initiative launched in March 2025, which involved over 100 cinemas across Italy. The MiC recognizes this initiative promoted by Cinecittà as a project of significance, capable of acting as an engine for development, particularly for the film sector, starting with the production of works like short films. The MiC, with the recent reforms introduced on tax credit, has increased its focus on these works, which represent a unique opportunity for first-time directors to make themselves known and appreciated.”
Manuela Cacciamani, CEO of Cinecittà, added: “In my experience as a producer, and now more than ever as a representative of public cinema, I firmly believe in the necessity of giving opportunities to young creatives. Cinecittà is a place that has always manufactured the future. Cinema constantly needs new energy and ideas, and Cinecittà, which is the symbolic and most concrete space of Italian cinema, offers young talents the possibility to bring us their dreams, concretely. Cinecittà gives them a true production asset, together with the possibility to use the incredible treasure trove of images from the Luce Archive.”
For Paolo Del Brocco, CEO of Rai Cinema, “Short Attacks! was born from Cinecittà with the idea of offering an opportunity to young directors taking their first steps, allowing them to concretely test their talent. The scouting of new debutants has always been a priority for Rai Cinema because it not only represents the future of the sector, but in many cases, their work expresses a fresh perspective that can generate new energy and new creativity.”