Document Type
Article
DOI
10.1080/02614340.2025.2603788
Publication Date
2-26-2026
Keywords
circulation; distribution; localization; translation; Netflix; transnationalism; independent film-making; film festival; production– distribution nexus
Abstract
This introduction to the special issue ‘Rethinking Circulation in
Italian Film and Media’ reconsiders how Italian audiovisual culture
moves across borders – industrially, geographically, linguistically,
and digitally. By focusing on the complex dynamics of circulation,
the essays gathered here trace the evolving connections between
production and distribution, exploring how contemporary modes
of localization, translation, and platform curation shape the
visibility and cultural capital of Italian cinema in global contexts.
From streaming giants such as Netflix to curated services like
MUBI, and from film festival circuits to independent film-making
networks, the issue interrogates how transnational infrastructures
of distribution redefine what counts as ‘Italian’ in today’s media
ecosystem. Through this lens, circulation emerges not merely as a
logistical process but as a critical framework for understanding
transnationalism, authorship, and cultural exchange in the
twenty-first century.
Recommended Citation
Brioni, S., Johnson, R., & Greene, S. (2025). Introduction: Rethinking Circulation in Italian Film and Media. The Italianist, 45(2), 253–266. https://doi-org.proxy.library.stonybrook.edu/10.1080/02614340.2025.2603788