Sky Italia, local prodcos team for distribution

Sky Italia and producers including FremantleMedia-owned Wildside and Gomorrah producer Cattleya, have joined forces to create a new film distribution business.

The new unit, which does not yet have a name, sees pay TV operator Sky join forces several film and TV production companies.

As well as Cattleya and Wildside, which is making The Young Pope for Sky, Italian International Film, Indiana and Palomar are part of the new venture.

Italy has a long history of feature film production, and increasingly is forging a reputation for scripted TV.

The partners said the new distribution will support and promote Italian cinema, adding it “will offer the market new opportunities, exploring and embracing different paths and models in the area of distribution, content and language”.

The news comes ahead of the Venice Film Festival, which gets underway later this week and where the new distributor will be present.