Dario Franceschini, Italy’s minister of culture, named Roberto Cicutto the new president of the Venice Biennale. Cicutto succeeds Paolo Baratta, who has been in the role since 2008. As president, Cicutto will oversee the organisation’s events in dance, music and theatre in addition to the art and architecture biennials and the annual film festival.
Cicutto has had an extensive career in the film industry, serving as CEO and president of Istituto Luce-Cinecittà, Italy’s state-run film company since 2009. Concurrently, Cicutto was director of Rome’s International Film Market from 2009 until 2014. He also founded several production companies and has been a member of the councils of the Atelier du Cinéma Européen, the European Film Academy and of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia.
Franceschini, who worked with Cicutto at Istituto Luce-Cinecittà called the appointment a ‘prestigious nomination for one of the most important Italian cultural institutions’, adding that he wished a ‘good job to Cicutto for this fantastic new challenge’.
29 January 2020
