Hollywood Icons Urge Action to Save Rome's Historic Cinemas

Prominent filmmakers and actors with Italian ties petition Italy's government to protect Rome's dwindling movie theaters from commercial redevelopment.

• Over 45 cinemas in Rome have closed in recent years, with many being converted into supermarkets, shopping centers, or luxury hotels.
• A new law in the Lazio region could make it easier to repurpose shuttered cinemas into retail spaces, sparking concern from cultural advocates.
• Hollywood figures like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas, along with over 5,000 industry professionals, have signed a petition opposing the trend.
• The petition, addressed to Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, calls the transformation of cinemas a 'grave offense' to Rome's cultural legacy.
• Examples like the revitalized Cinema Troisi in Trastevere demonstrate that innovative approaches to cinema operations can succeed, blending modern amenities with cultural programming.

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