Tax credits bring foreign prod'n to Italy

'New Moon,' 'Letters to Juliet' among recent projects

By NICK VIVARELLI

Italy's tax credits, which give international productions a 25% deduction up to $7 million, became fully available as of July, payable through an Italian executive producer. After launching a $12 million fund, Tuscany is the new Italo hot spot, having recently hosted "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and Gary Winick's Gael Garcia Bernal starrer "Letters to Juliet."

Top facilities: Rome's Cinecitta Studios, with 30 soundstages, 300 acres of backlots and some of the world's most skilled craftspeople and costume designers, is still numero uno, and the surrounding Lazio region is doing plenty to lure productions, such as offering VAT rebates. But Turin's new Cineporto, a high-concept structure comprising production and wardrobe offices, as well as a screening room -- but no soundstages -- is also gaining converts for external shoots.

Key contact: In intricate Italy, you really need to navigate the ins and outs of tapping into the multiplying types of incentives. Marco Valerio Pugini, prexy of Italy's executive producers organization APE, has got the country wired. Pugini recently shepherded the Italy shoots of "Angels and Demons" and "Letters to Juliet."

Tuscany Film Commission: filmcommission.toscana.it

Turin and Piedmont Film Commission: fctp.it

Lazio Film Commission: romalaziofilmcommission.it

Marco Valerio Pugini: [e-mail]