Education and Main Academic Standings
- 2000: High school certificate in classical domain at Liceo Classico Raffaello, Urbino (Italy).
- 2004: Degree in Communication Studies at the Università della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland), with major in mass communication and new media. Thesis supervisor: prof. Giuseppe Richeri.
- 2007-2008: Visiting PhD at the City University of New York (USA, 2007-08). Supervisor: prof. Frederick Wasser.
- 2009: PhD in Communication Sciences at the Università della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland). Thesis supervisor: prof. Giuseppe Richeri.
- 2009-2018: Post-doc, Adjunct Professor and scientific collaborator at the Università della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland); visiting scholar at: Université de Lorraine (France, May-June 2012), University of Leeds (UK, February 2015, Swiss-European Mobility Programme), University of Udine (Italy, November 2016, Swiss-European Mobility Programme).
- 2018: Senior Assistant Professor at the Department of Arts, University of Bologna
- 2021: Associate Professor, Department of Arts, University of Bologna.
- 2021: Head of the Master in Film and Audiovisual Management, Department of Arts, University of Bologna.
- 2022: National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor.
- 2022: Vice-chair of the Film Studies Section of ECREA (European Communication Research and Education Association)
Teaching Activities
Marco Cucco gives classes within first and second cycle degree programmes: “Cultures of Film Production” (Degree in Information, Cultures and Media Organization), “Economics of Culture” (Degree in Drama, Art, and Music Studies), “Documentary and Experimental Cinematography” (Degree in Drama, Art, and Music Studies) and “Valorization of Audiovisual Heritage” (Degree in Sciences of Performing Arts and Audiovisual Production). He serves as Head of the first level Master in Film and Audiovisual Management at the University of Bologna, where he teaches “Public Film and Television Financing”.
In the past, he has been Adjunct Professor at the Università della Svizzera italiana (Switzerland), at the Université de Strasbourg (France) and at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, in Milan (Italy). He also gave lectures at Advances Training Courses organized by the Cineteca di Bologna and ANEC (National Association of Film Exhibitors).
Within the initiative “The week of the Italian language in the world”, he gave special lectures at the Capital Normal University (Beijing, China), Shanghai Academy Theater (Shanghai, China), Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong), and Ain Shams University (Cairo, Egypt).
For many years Marco Cucco coordinated the Master in Media Management at the University della Svizzera Italiana (2009-2018) and collaborated with the Master Réseau Cinéma Suisse (University of Zurich, University of Lausanne, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 2005-2018).
Research Activities
His research interests concern film economics and policy (main investigation areas: USA, European Union, Italy, and Switzerland). In particular, he works on public financing and film-friendly policies (at supra-national, national, and sub-national level), the production of high-budget movies (US blockbuster movies and European co-productions), the role of film commissions, the outsourcing of film shooting and the phenomenon of film-induced tourism. For consulting the research outcomes please click here.
He collaborated in several research projects and networks financed by public and private bodies: Swiss University Conference, Republic and Government of the Tessin Canton, Sky Italy, Foundation for Subsidiarity. Among the most recent researches there are:
- Artists' Lifes: Documentary as Tool for Investigating and Promoting Contemporary Arts (2022), AlmaIdea Call;
- Exploring the Media and Politics Landscape in Europe, East Asia and the U.S. (2022-2023), University of Bologna (Italy), Toyo University (Japan), University of California Los Angeles - UCLA (USA);
- Sustainability and the Arts: Between Collective Actions and Cultural Industries (2022), MOOC developed by the University of Bologna for the Una Europa alliance (Social Pillar, Micro-qualification in Sustainability);
- The Cultural Dimension of Community Welfare (2020), Achille Ardigò School, Department of Arts (University of Bologna), Foundation for the Urban Development, Navile District;
- The International Circulation of Italian Cinema (PRIN 2015, a three-year competitive research project financed by the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Bologna.
He regularly participates to initiatives organized by national and international research networks like CoRN (Co-production Research Network), CinEcoSa (Cinéma, Économie & Sociétés Anglophone), NECS (European Network for Cinema and Media Studies), ECREA (European Communication Research and Education Association), CUC (Consulta Universitaria del Cinema) and Media Mutations. In 2020, Marco Cucco started to serve as “experienced scholar” for emmaConnect (European Media Management Association’s programme that supports junior researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic). In October 2022, he was elected vice-chair of the
Film Studies Section of ECREA (European Communication Research and Education Association).
Publications
Marco Cucco published three books: Economia del film. Industria, politiche, mercati/Film Economics. Industry, Policy, Markets (Carocci 2020, third reprint in January 2023), Il mercato delle location cinematografiche/The Film Location Market (Marsilio 2013, with Giuseppe Richeri), and Il film blockbuster. Storia e caratteristiche delle grandi produzioni hollywoodiane/Blockbuster Movies: History and Features of High-budget Hollywood Films (Carocci 2010), and he edited three volumes: Le industrie del cinema. Un confronto internazionale/Film Industries. An International Comparison (Mimesis 2022, with Giuseppe Richeri), Il cinema di Stato. Finanziamento pubblico ed economia simbolica nel cinema italiano contemporaneo/Cinema of the State. Public Financing and Symbolic Economy in Contemporary Italian Cinema (Il Mulino 2017, with Giacomo Manzoli) and La trama dei media. Stato, imprese, pubblico nella società dell’informazione/The Media Plot: State, Companies and Audience in the Information Society (Carocci 2014).
He also wrote:
- articles published by peer-reviewed journals: Studies in European Cinema, Film Studies, Media, Culture and Society, European Journal of Communication, Journal of Italian Cinema and Media Studies, Journal of Transcultural Communication, Studi culturali, L'Avventura, Comunicazioni sociali, Economia della cultura, Bianco e nero, MediAzioni, Il capitale culturale, Observatorio (OBS*);
- book reviews for academic journals: Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, International Journal on Media Management, Studies in Communication Sciences;
- book chapters (main publishers: Routledge, Palgrave, Springer, Sage, Intellect, Schüren, Carocci, Marsilio, Mimesis, Franco Angeli).
For the full list of publications, please click here.
Service Activities for the Department of Arts and the University of Bologna
- Member of the Joint Committee of the Department (2018-2020).
- Member of the departmental Committee that grants scholarships for writing the thesis abroad (since February 2019).
- Member of the Scientific Committee of the cultural center “La Soffitta” (July 2019-September 2021).
- Responsible person for the ERAMSUM+ international mobility agreements with: Freie Universität Berlin (Germany); University of Copenhagen (Denmark); Université de Picardie Jules Verne (France); University of the Aegean (Greece); Universiteit Utrecht (Netherlands); Universität Trier (Germany); Université Bordeaux Montaigne (France); Università della Svizzera Italiana (Switzerland); Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium).
- Member of the departmental working group for the VQR 2015-2019 (Evaluation of the Research Quality).
- Member of the Area 10 Panel for the Research Evaluation within the University of Bologna (VRA 2022).
- Member of the Committee for the Internationalization of the second cycle degree in Information, Cultures and Media Organization (INCOM).
- Member of the responsible team for the second cycle degree in Sciences of Performing Arts and Audiovisual Production.
- Member of the Scientific Committee for the initiative “Il Nastro Verde. Rassegna di cinema sostenibile” (editions 2020, 2021 and 2022): projections of films and documentaries on sustainability, organized in collaboration with the Sustainability Office of the University of Bologna.
Institutional Activities
- Representative of the Italian assistant professors within the council of the CUC – Consulta Universitaria del Cinema (Italian association of film and television scholars) (2019-2022).
- Commissioner for granting public financing to films, audiovisual contents, and videogames by: Apulia Film Commission (2021), Emilia-Romagna Film Commission (2020, 2021 and 2022) e Sardinia Film Commission (2015, 2022).
Organized Conferences
- International conference "Reframing Postcolonialism and Cinema", bi-annual conference of the ECREA Film Studies Section, University of Nicosia (Cyprus), September 14-15, 2023.
- Webinar "Film Distribution in Italy: On Alert", University of Salento and University of Bologna, June 15, 2022.
- Annual Conference of the American Association for Italian Studies (AAIS), University of Bologna, May 29 – June 1, 2022.
- International conference "Open Arts. New Audiovisual Scenarios for the Circulation of the Arts”, University of Bologna, April 20-21, 2021, in collaboration with IULM University and University of Murcia (Spain).
- International conference “Media, Diplomacy and Soft Power. Exploring the Relations Between Emerging Markets and Western Countries” (XI edition of the annual conference Media Mutations), University of Bologna, May 20-21, 2019.
- National conference “Public Financing and Italian Cinema”, University of Bologna, February 3-4, 2015.
- International conference “Heard-Seen: The Audiovisual Heritage and the Sciences”, Università della Svizzera Italiana, October 27-28, 2006.
Speaker in conferences
- CUCCO M. (2021) L’economia diffusa del film: una riflessione critica sugli ultimi vent’anni. Titolo della conferenza: Giornate di studi OSCAU – Osservatorio sardo per il cinema e l’audiovisivo (Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, 2-3 dicembre).
- CUCCO M. (2021) The Other Animation Industries: Production and Circulation of “My Life as a Zucchini”. Titolo della conferenza: Animation in the 21st Century. Rethinking Images and Technologies (XXVII International Conference of Film Studies) (Università Roma Tre, November 24-26).
- CUCCO M. (2021) La circolazione del documentario d’arte: cinema, piattaforme on-demand, pay tv e broadcaster televisivi. Titolo della conferenza: El documentario de arte. I congreso international (Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spagna, 22-24 settembre.
- CUCCO M. (2021) I Media Industry Studies nel contesto post-pandemico. Il caso degli studi sul cinema. Titolo della conferenza: Lo stato e il futuro della ricerca. Aree, direzioni, metodologie (Conferenza CUC, Università Roma Tre, 13-14 settembre).
- CUCCO M., SCAGLIONI M. (2021) The Great Auteur: Paolo Sorrentino Between Film and Television Industry. Titolo della conferenza: Transitions: Moving Images and Bodies (NECS Conference, Palermo, 16-18 giugno).
- CUCCO M. (2019) Studiare il mercato on-demand: sfide e ostacoli. Titolo della conferenza: L’economia del produttore audiovisivo ai tempi dello streaming (Università di Bologna, Bologna, 5 dicembre).
- CUCCO M. (2019) Studying Film Export: Relevance, Methodologies, Problems. Titolo della conferenza: Research Methods in Film Studies: Challenges and Opportunities (ECREA Film Studies Section Conference) (University of Ghent, Belgio, 18-19 ottobre).
- CUCCO M., SCAGLIONI M. (2019) Selling and Adapting “Film Formats”. Successful Transnational Storytelling in the Fragmented Global Film Market. Titolo della conferenza: Structures and Voices. Storytelling in the Post-Digital Times (NECS Conference, Danzig, Polonia, 13-15 giugno).
- CUCCO M. (2019) Italian Co-productions With Foreign Countries: A Critical Analysis of Contemporary Trends. Titolo della conferenza: Italian Cinema(s) Abroad (The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA, 22-23 marzo).
- CUCCO M. (2019) Visual Tools and Data Analysis: Mapping Italian Cinema Abroad. Titolo della conferenza: American Association for Italian Studies Annual Conference (Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, USA, 14-16 marzo).
- CUCCO M., HOLDAWAY D. (2018) The Many Faces of Public Film Financing: A New Quali-Quantitative Approach to Studying Film Policy. Titolo della conferenza: Media Industries Conference: Current Debates and Future Directions. (King's College London, UK, 18-20 aprile).
- CUCCO M., MANZOLI G. (2018) National, World, Global: sempre lo stesso cinema?. Titolo della conferenza: Global F(r)ictions (Università di Bologna, Bologna, 6-7 dicembre).
- CUCCO M. (2018) Le co-produzioni internazionali. Prassi e immagini del cinema italiano che dialoga con l'estero. Titolo della conferenza: Made in Italy. La circolazione internazionale dell'audiovisivo italiano come prodotto culturale. (Università di Bologna, Bologna, 19-20 giugno).
- CUCCO M., SCAGLIONI M. (2018) Strategies for Promoting and Exporting Luca Guadagnino’s Films. Titolo della conferenza: American Association for Italian Studies Annual Conference (Sant'Anna Institute, Sorrento, 14-17 giugno).
- CUCCO M. (2017) Le istituzioni e le politiche a sostegno della circolazione internazionale del cinema italiano. Titolo della conferenza: Cinema e identità italiana. Cultura visuale e immaginario nazionale fra tradizione e contemporaneità (Università degli Studi Roma Tre, Roma, 28-29 novembre).
- CUCCO M. (2017) Learning from Switzerland in the Time of Brexit. Titolo della conferenza: SCMS Conference, Chicago, USA, 22-26 marzo).
- CUCCO M. (2017) I Want to Study It But I cannot! Problems With Quantitative Approach In the Digital Film Market. Titolo della conferenza: Digital and Quantitative Methods for the Study of Screen Culture (University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, 5 maggio).
- CUCCO M. (2016) Blockbuster Franchises: Are They Proofs of a Creativity Crisis in Hollywood? An Economic Investigation. Titolo della conferenza: Franchise hollywoodiennes: innovations artistique, technologiques et industrielles, 1975-2015 (Institut National de l'Histoire de l'Art - INHA, Paris, Francia, 8-9 dicembre).
- CUCCO M. (2016) Small, Rich and Fragmented Switzerland, It’s Time For a New “Youth”? Titolo della conferenza: European Co-production Symposium: A Multi-disciplinary Conference of Scholars, Practioners and Policy Professionals (University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Danimarca, 23-24 novembre).
- CUCCO M. (2016) Le film commission e il mercato delle location cinematografiche. Titolo della conferenza: This Must Be The Place. Media, territorio, promozione (Università degli Studi di Udine, Gorizia, 10 novembre) .
- CUCCO M. (2016) OTT e ISP nel mercato cinematografico italiano: speranze, timori e forse leggi. Titolo della conferenza: Streaming media e cultura on-demand: dalla distribuzione alla circolazione? (Università Ca’ Foscari, Venezia, 6-7 giugno).
- CUCCO M., HOLDAWAY D. (2016) The Shapes of State-Funded Cinema: Researching Italian Film Policy. Titolo della conferenza: SCMS Conference (Atlanta, USA, 30 marzo – 3 aprile).
- CUCCO M. (2016) Doing Historical Research in Film Economics. Titolo della conferenza: Italian Cinemas/Italian Histories (University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, 22-23 marzo).
- CUCCO M. (2016) Il film d’impegno e i beni meritori. Una riflessione sul finanziamento pubblico al cinema in Italia. Titolo della conferenza: Il sistema dell’impegno nel cinema italiano contemporaneo (Università di Bologna, Bologna, 15-16 febbraio).
- CUCCO M., SCAGLIONI M. (2015) Europe Meets India: An In-depth Analysis of the Outsourcing of Indian Films in Western Countries. Titolo della conferenza: European Cinemas, Intercultural Meetings: Aesthetics, Politics, Industry, History (ECREA Film Studies Section) (University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Danimarca, 13-14 novembre).
- CUCCO M. (2015) Unusual Locations: How Small Regions Are Entering the Film Business. Titolo della conferenza: Filming Locations: The Fabric of Culture, Myth & Identity in Small Cinema (Small Cinemas Conference, Valletta, Malta, 24-26 settembre).
- CUCCO M. (2015) Blockbuster Franchises: Creative Works or Creativity Crisis? Titolo della conferenza: MediaChange - Serialization Landscapes: Series and Serialization from Literature to the Web (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, 7-9 luglio).
- CUCCO M. (2015) What Is Film (By A Film Policy Perspective)? “The Great Beauty” Case Study. Titolo della conferenza: Archives of/for the Future (NECS Conference, University of Lodz, Lodz, Polonia, 18-20 giugno).
- CUCCO M. (2015) The Complex Machine Behind a Popular Success: the U.S. Blockbuster Movies. Titolo della conferenza: Situating the Popular in World Cinemas (University of Leeds, Leeds, UK, 17 febbraio).
- CUCCO M., SCAGLIONI M. (2015) Cinema indiano e location italiane: nuove opportunità per il cineturismo in Italia. Titolo della conferenza: La città di celluloide tra vocazione turistica ed esperienze creative (Università di Macerata, Macerata, 26 marzo).
- CUCCO M., NICOSIA E. (2014) Film Festivals, Film Business and Territorial Development: An Economic Analysis. Titolo della conferenza: Film Festival Cartographies Symposium (Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, 20-21 novembre) .
- CUCCO M. (2014) Towards a Federal Cinema? New Trends in Regulating and Supporting Italian Film Production. Titolo della conferenza: Communication for Empowerment: Citizens, Markets, Innovations (ECREA Conference, Lisbon, Portogallo, 12-15 novembre).
- CUCCO M. (2014) Regions, State and European Union: Conflicts and New Assets in Supporting the Audiovisual Production. The Italian Case Study. Titolo della conferenza: Screen Policies in the 21st century (CinEcoSA conference, Paris, Francia, 17-18 novembre).
- CUCCO M. (2014) Understanding Fiction by Looking at Its Business: The Sky Italy Case Study. Titolo della conferenza: Modes of Production and Narrative Forms in the Contemporary TV Series (Media Mutations 6, Università di Bologna, Bologna, 27-28 maggio).
- CUCCO M. (2014) Will We Regret the cinepanettoni? Titolo della conferenza: Creative Energies, Creative Industries (NECS Conference, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, 22-26 giugno).
- CUCCO M. (2014) Il mercato delle location, tra amministrazioni locali, imprese cinematografiche e pubblico. Titolo della conferenza: Cinema, cineturismo e alimentazione (XII Convegno Internazionale sul Cineturismo, Ischia, 1-2 luglio).
- GIMELLO-MESPLOMB F., CUCCO M. (2014) Le bonheur est dans le prêt ou la territorialisation des politiques du cinéma: une analyse comparée des «commissions locales du film» en France et en Italie. Titolo della conferenza: Les territoires du Cinéma (ESSCA Conference, Université d’Angers, Angers, Francia, 21-24 gennaio).
- CUCCO M. (2013) Locations on Sale! How Local Public Administrations Are Entering the Film Business. Titolo della conferenza: Media Politics – Political Media (NECS Conference, Prague, Repubblica Ceca, 20-22 giugno).
- CUCCO M. (2013) The European Way Towards the Production of Blockbusters Movies. Titolo della conferenza: Bestseller and Blockbuster Culture – Books, Cinema and Television (Aalborg University, Aalborg, Danimarca, 21-22 marzo).
- CUCCO M. (2013) The Film Location Market. Towards a New Geography in Film Production. Titolo della conferenza: Spaces and Places of Culture (MeCCSA Conference, Derry, UK, 9-11 gennaio).
- CUCCO M., RICHERI G. (2011) Film Commission As Driver for Economic and Cultural Development. Titolo della conferenza: Governance, Culture and Territorial Development (Fourth Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue on Public Management, Rabat, Marocco, 12-14 ottobre).
- CUCCO M., PRARIO B., RICHERI G. (2010) Product Placement and Broadcasters: A New Strategic Approach. Titolo della conferenza: The Changing Ecology of the Media (EMMA Conference, London, UK, 5-6 febbraio).
- CUCCO M. (2010) Spectacular Movies for a Global Audience: The Avatar Case Study. Titolo della conferenza: Urban Mediations (NECS Conference, Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turchia, 24-27 giugno).
- BENECCHI E., CUCCO M. (2009) Relocating Hollywood Advertising. Titolo della conferenza: Locating Media (NECS Conference, University of Lund, Lund, Svezia, 25-28 giugno).
- CANDELORO J., CUCCO M. (2008) Cinema, Television and the Medea’s Myth. European Trends and Italian Anomalies in Feature Film Broadcasting. Titolo della conferenza: The Media in Italy: Historical Perspectives and Future Challenges (ASMI Conference, Edinburgh, UK, 21-22 novembre).
- CUCCO M. (2006) Co-productions as New Form of Negotiation. Titolo della conferenza: Shifting Landscapes: Film and Media in European Context (First International Film and Media Conference, Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turchia, 16-18 giugno).
Speaker in roundtables
- Il sistema delle film commission in Italia (L'Aquila Film Festival & Osservatorio interuniversitario sul cinema e sugli audiovisivi in Abruzzo, 23.11.2022).
- On location and beyond: the invisible benefits of film commissions and film offices (Thessaloniki International Film Festival, 08.11.2022).
- La riscoperta dell’Italia. Ricerche e metriche sul rapporto fra territorio, cinema e audiovisivo (Venice Film Festival, 02.09.2022).
- Ripensare il valore culturale ed economico del film, fra sala cinematografica e piattaforme di streaming (Venice Film Festival, 03.09.2022).
- Politiche culturali e scenari economici per il futuro del cinema italiano (Workshop at Castiglione Cinema 2022 organized by Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo, Castiglione del Lago, 10-12.06.2022).
- Le tendenze del mercato del cinema e il ruolo delle Regioni (Corto Dorico Film Festival, Ancona, 05.12.2021).
- Le nuove professioni umanistiche: spettacolo e comunicazione (Celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the University of Cagliari establishment, 10.12.2021).
- Territori mediali: come la comunicazione, il cinema e la televisione raccontano e rappresentano i luoghi e quali opportunità per le destinazioni nazionali (Venice Film Festival, 07.09.2021).
- Audiovisivo – Nuove forme di fruizione e modelli di sostenibilità. Quali nuove prospettive per il futuro? (ART-ER – Attrattività, Ricerca, Territorio – Emilia-Romagna, webinar, 18.12.2020).
- Eppur si muove. Il settore dell’audiovisivo tra Stato e Regioni (Corto Dorico Film Festival, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, 11.12.2015).
- Il ruolo dei territori a sostegno del cinema e dell’audiovisivo. Il senso del cinema e dell'audiovisivo per i territori (Italian Ministry of Culture, Roma, 25.03.2014).