Netflix pledges €4M to revive Rome’s Cinema Europa

Netflix ↘ 0.96% marked its 10th anniversary in Italy this week with co-CEO Ted Sarandos unveiling a major partnership to revive Rome's historic Cinema Europa theater, while celebrating the streaming giant's transformative impact on the Italian audiovisual industry.

At a press conference held Thursday at Italy's Ministry of Culture, Sarandos announced a five-year collaboration with the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (CSC), Europe's oldest film school, to renovate and reopen the iconic Cinema Europa. The partnership includes a €4 million sponsorship from Netflix to support renovation and operational costs, with the theater expected to reopen in late 2026.variety+2

Historic Theater Gets New Life

The Cinema Europa holds special significance in Italian cinema history, having hosted the first public screening of an Italian film 120 years ago when Filoteo Alberini's "La Presa di Roma" was shown there. The theater, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be transformed into a cultural and educational hub for the CSC, serving as the first movie theater within Rome's city walls for the prestigious film school.wantedinrome+1

"Cinema Europa is intricately linked to Italy's creative landscape," Sarandos said during the press conference, which opened with a video message from Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli. The revitalized space will host film projects by CSC students and serve as a reference point for the National Film Archive's cultural outreach initiatives.deadline+1

Major Economic Impact

Sarandos revealed Netflix's substantial investment in Italy's creative economy, with the company contributing over €1.1 billion to Italy between 2021 and 2024. Over its decade-long presence, Netflix has produced more than 1,000 Italian films and series, filming in over 100 cities across the country and supporting more than 5,500 jobs in the Italian audiovisual sector in the past five years.variety+2

The announcement comes as Italy's audiovisual industry reached €16.3 billion in revenues in 2024, showing a 4.6% growth rate that outpaced the country's GDP. Netflix Italy, led by Vice President Eleonora "Tinny" Andreatta, has seen approximately 50 of its Italian originals reach the platform's Global Top 10 list, with notable successes including "Suburra," "The Leopard," and "Supersex".deadline+2

Culture Minister Giuli praised the partnership as "a concrete example of virtuous collaboration between the public and private sectors, between tradition and innovation," highlighting Netflix's role in promoting Italian film culture globally. The collaboration represents Netflix's deepening commitment to Italy as it enters its second decade in one of Europe's most important audiovisual markets.deadline+1