by InTrieste
At the Italian Pavilion during the Cannes Film Festival on Friday, Lucia Borgonzoni, Italy’s Undersecretary of Culture with responsibility for cinema, unveiled a bold new initiative aimed at transforming Gorizia—a border city in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region—into a thriving European hub for the audiovisual industry.
Speaking to an international audience gathered along the Croisette, Borgonzoni said the government is backing Gorizia’s growing ambitions with investments in training programs designed to cultivate a skilled, future-ready workforce. “We are seeing how Gorizia is becoming a European point of reference for audiovisual media,” she said.
Nestled between Italy and Slovenia, Gorizia has long been a cultural crossroads, and officials believe its international flair and diverse heritage can fuel creativity in storytelling and production. The region has already begun attracting international productions, thanks to its natural scenery, improving infrastructure, and a political will to support the industry.
The latest initiative seeks to leverage that momentum, with hopes of drawing students and young creatives from across Europe to study, live, and work in the city. “It’s a unique opportunity to foster openness and innovation in a rapidly evolving media landscape,” Borgonzoni noted.
As European nations look beyond traditional cinema capitals, Gorizia is positioning itself as a fresh, dynamic alternative—where the next generation of filmmakers could find both inspiration and opportunity.
