The third CIRCE project meeting – “Common Initiatives to pRomote CinEma across Italy-Albania-Montenegro”, co-financed from resources of INTERREG IPA Cross-border Cooperation Italy- Albania -Montenegro Programme, was held on 29 October in Tirana (Albania).
Apulia Film Commission is the lead beneficiary of this project in cooperation with one Albanian partner- Albanian National Centre of Cinematography- one Montenegrin partner- Film Centre of Montenegro- and one Italian partner- Molise Region. Associated partners are Ministry of Culture of Montenegro, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Albania and Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (MIBACT).
During the meeting in Tirana, the representatives of CIRCE project partners called attention to that accomplished in the previous phase of work, on the occasion of which the Film Centre of Montenegro presented the implemented activities related to this year’s project commitments. In addition to that, a plan concerning the implementation of activities in connection to the next phase of work was put forward.
The CIRCE project is financed under Priority Axis 2 (Smart Management of Natural and Cultural Heritage for the exploitation of cross-border sustainable tourism and territorial attractiveness), Specific Objective 2.2 (improvement of cooperation between the key actors of the area for the delivery of innovative cultural and creative products). INTERREG IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro Programme aims to re-launch the production system of Albania, Montenegro, Puglia, and Molise, by investing in cultural and creative industries as key strategic resources to support the economic growth of the areas concerned. The focus is improving the conditions for cultural and creative industries of the audio-visual sector, in order to give additional value to the cultural heritage through cross-border initiatives and establish the connection between participants and key actors of new creative productions.
Several activities are implemented within the CIRCE project, there including: joint production of a nine-episode web series, exchange of experiences, transfer of good practices (incentive measures), creation of a network for the film festivals of the area, investments to promote distribution in Albania and Montenegro, as well as updating of activities for operators in the audio-visual sector.
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“Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro Programme” is a tripartite programme of cross-border cooperation, funded by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in the 2014-2020 programme period. The Programme is designed under the European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth (Europe 2020). The Programme aims to assist beneficiary countries in meeting their national targets for 2020, by encouraging cross-border cooperation throughout the Mediterranean, in view of pre-accession negotiations of Albania and Montenegro with the European Union. The Programme has a total budget of about EUR 93 million, which is co-financed through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) at a rate of 85% and which requires 15% of national co-financing”.