Bernardo Bertolucci considers that culture has been overlooked

The Italian film maker Bernardo Bertolucci deplores how the standard of culture in Italy has dropped and observes how politicians of all persuasions are neglecting this sector. "In all the speeches delivered by the politicians I was preparing to vote for a year ago [in the Italian legislative elections], I never once heard the word 'culture' pronounced. Did they merely forget it? Under estimate it? Or just let it go? I wonder for example why it isn't possible to create a television channel in Italy like Arte, [the Franco/German channel] that sees its viewing figures constantly increase, a channel, that is, that promotes current cultural events and a certain social intelligence. ... I am not thriving off the honey of nostalgia and illusion. We have to join forces and together seek the means to render our creative ground more fertile. But what to do? I don't know."

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