“Congratulations to Paolo Sorrentino, who has once again shown, with the Oscar for his film ‘La Grande Bellezza’, just how much demand for Italy there is in the world”. The comment was made by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mario Giro, on hearing of the Italian director’s success in Los Angeles.
“Italy attracts people for its lifestyle, its immense cultural heritage, the beauty of its language, its art and its literature, and its unique talent for design. What does this success tell us? That Italy is a cultural power which, for all its reluctance to play that role, is clearly recognised and appreciated throughout the world. Paolo Sorrentino’s great achievement not only honours us, it concerns the country directly. It tells us that with its culture, in the broadest sense, and its language, Italy has a capital on which to base a new start that will generate immediate returns in terms of investment and influence”, concluded the Under-Secretary.
