Cinemovel Foundation
Cinemovel Foundation is an Italian non-profit founded in 2001 that uses a mobile cinema van to deliver free film screenings, media-literacy school programs, and anti-mafia festivals to underserved Italian communities and select international locations. It is funded by Italian ministerial grants, the 5x1000 tax designation, and workshop fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersItaly, Italy
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Cinemovel Foundation does
Cinemovel Foundation is an Italian non-profit organization (fondazione) founded in 2001, originally established in Mozambique as a mobile cinema project (Schermi d'Africa) and now headquartered in Italy. The organization operates a deployable cinema "carovana" — a van equipped with projectors, audio, and temporary screening infrastructure — that brings free film screenings, workshops, and civic-education programming to Italian squares, schools, confiscated mafia properties, and underserved communities, plus select international locations (Senegal, Tunisia, Brazil, France, Germany, Spain).
The foundation's core products are organized under three main franchises: (1) Libero Cinema in Libera Terra, a traveling anti-mafia film festival co-promoted with the Libera network (1,600+ associations) that reached its 20th consecutive edition in July 2025 and screens films in piazze, parks, and confiscated properties; (2) Schermi in Classe, a national cinema-literacy and active-citizenship program for Italian schools that has engaged 10,000+ students since 2012 and is recognized as a "Buona Pratica" under Piano Nazionale Cinema per la Scuola by MIUR/MIM and MIC/MIBACT; and (3) La Scatola Magica, a fee-based creative cinema workshop for youth aged 12–17 hosted at CUBO – Centro Unipol Bologna and expanded to Milan, Rome, and Turin (€60–€95 per participant). Additional program modules include SIC Magazine (student-produced video-magazine streamed via MyMovies), Mafia Liquida (live cinema/comics performance), Cinegame (interactive storytelling platform used by 300 students from 6 cities), MAPS-ME (audiovisual neighbourhood mapping), CineGreenLab (environmental storytelling), DEMETRA (HORIZON Europe video-magazine on food sustainability), and the new IMMAGINARIO Cinema e Comunità festival spanning 9 Bassa Romagna municipalities (July 2026).
Cinemovel is a non-profit with no equity funding, ~7 employees, and no disclosed revenue. Its funding model is multi-source: voluntary Italian 5x1000 tax designations (CF 91305730375), institutional grants from MIUR/MIM, MIC/MIBACT, Regione Emilia-Romagna, and HORIZON Europe, and participation fees for La Scatola Magica. GTM is community-led and event-driven: programs are delivered on-the-ground via the caravan, institutionalized through school and municipal partnerships, and amplified through earned media (Repubblica, Huffington Post, Raiplay, Trieste Film Festival). The organization does not engage in commercial product distribution, and the overwhelming majority of activities are free to end users.
Cinemovel Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cinemovel Foundation
- Legal name
- Cinemovel Foundation
- Website
- https://cinemovel.tv
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cinemovel Foundation is an Italian non-profit founded in 2001 that uses a mobile cinema van to deliver free film screenings, media-literacy school programs, and anti-mafia festivals to underserved Italian communities and select international locations. It is funded by Italian ministerial grants, the 5x1000 tax designation, and workshop fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cinemovel Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Cinema and Civic Education Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers) (MPADAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF), Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools) (MPADAKAI), Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC), Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI)
Keywords
Where Cinemovel Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Italy
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cinemovel Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 5x1000 Tax Designation: Italian taxpayers can direct a fraction of their income tax (5x1000) to Cinemovel Foundation (Tax Code: CF 91305730375). This is a voluntary mechanism that generates donations from individuals without direct cost to the donor.
- Institutional Grants and Project Funding: Funding from government bodies including MIUR (Ministry of Education), MIC/MIBACT (Ministry of Culture), Regione Emilia-Romagna, and HORIZON Europe (for the DEMETRA project). Grants fund specific educational cinema programs such as Piano Nazionale Cinema per la Scuola and Schermi in Classe.
- Workshop and Lab Participation Fees: La Scatola Magica summer and winter workshops for youth (ages 12–17) charge participation fees (e.g., €60–€95 per participant including meals) to cover operational costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One-time | Free screenings and educational programs (default) |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | La Scatola Magica Workshop (Bologna/Milan) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Cinemovel Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cinemovel Foundation operates a mobile cinema caravan ("carovana") that brings free film screenings, film literacy programs, and creative filmmaking workshops to underserved communities, schools, and confiscated mafia properties across Italy and internationally. Its flagship offerings include Libero Cinema in Libera Terra (Italy's longest-running itinerant anti-mafia cinema festival), Schermi in Classe (a national school cinema education program), and La Scatola Magica (creative cinema workshops for youth aged 12–17). The foundation combines mobile cinema infrastructure, media literacy education, civic engagement, and original multimedia production as a single integrated cultural and educational offering.
Product overview
Cinemovel Foundation operates as a mobile cinema organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on itinerant cinema for social and civic education. The core offerings include Libero Cinema in Libera Terra (itinerant anti-mafia film festival), Schermi in Classe (school cinema program), and La Scatola Magica (creative cinema workshops). These are supplemented by specialized modules like CineGreenLab (environmental sustainability stories), SIC Magazine (student-created video journalism), Mafia Liquida (live performance), Diari del Tempo (storytelling journals), MAPS-ME (audiovisual mapping), and Artists@Work (artist residencies). The organization also provides Temporary Cinema setup services and operates Schermi d'Africa for international social communication. Programs often interconnect: Schermi in Classe feeds into SIC Magazine, School Caravan tours support Libero Cinema events, and La Scatola Magica workshops produce content used in broader Cinemovel initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 10,000+ students engaged through Schermi in Classe since 2012
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Cinemovel Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cinemovel Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Cinemovel Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Libera – Associazioni, nomi e numeri contro le mafieflagshipCo-promoter of the Libero Cinema in Libera Terra festival since its inception. Libera is Italy's leading anti-mafia civil society network (1,600+ associations), founded by Don Luigi Ciotti. Libera provides access to confiscated mafia properties for screenings, local organizing networks, and institutional credibility. The partnership has sustained the festival for 20 consecutive editions.
- CUBO – Centro Unipol BolognacorePrimary venue and financial supporter for La Scatola Magica workshops. CUBO (a multi-purpose cultural center sponsored by Unipol insurance) hosts workshops for youth aged 12–16/17 in Bologna, providing physical space, equipment, and partial funding. The partnership has produced summer and winter workshops since 2014 in Bologna and expanded to Milan, Rome, and Turin.
- CIAI – Centro Italiano Aiuti all'InfanziacoreCo-producer of 'Nulla di sbagliato' (Davide Barletti and Gabriele Gianni), a film produced in association with CIAI and Con i Bambini within the Fondo per il contrasto alla povertà educativa minorile. CIAI contributed to the PRISMI project in Milan South as well.
- Rai CinemacoreCo-producer with Cinemovel of 'Allacciate le Cinture' (directed by Tommaso Merighi, 2024), a documentary about the mobile cinema screenings of Matteo Garrone's 'Io Capitano' in Senegal. Rai Cinema provided production support and distribution through Raiplay.
- Fondazione LAM per le arti contemporaneeminorCo-producer of 'Allacciate le Cinture' (2024) alongside Cinemovel and Rai Cinema. Contributed artistic and production expertise to the documentary.
- MyMovies.itcoreDigital streaming partner for Schermi in Classe Film Festival, Libero Cinema Online, and SIC Magazine. MyMovies provides the virtual cinema platform enabling schools and families across Italy to access screenings and filmmaker Q&As. During the pandemic, MyMovies hosted the virtual edition of Libero Cinema.
- TheFabLabminorCinemovel partnered with TheFabLab, whose president Massimo Temporelli (physicist and science communicator) served as scientific director for 'Trasversalmente. La Scatola Magica,' integrating technology and maker culture into cinema education workshops.
- Internazionale Festival (Ferrara)minorAnnual host of Libero Cinema in Libera Terra screenings during the Festival di Internazionale in Ferrara, bringing anti-mafia cinema to a major international journalism and culture festival audience.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cinemovel Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- ZeLIG School for Documentary: Bolzano-based European documentary film school producing emerging filmmakers and socially engaged documentaries. Comparable to Cinemovel's documentary production modules (Allacciate le Cinture, Nulla di sbagliato) and shared focus on documentary as civic tool.
Broad incumbents
- Cineteca di Bologna: Italy's leading film archive and cultural institution (Restauro Cineteca, Il Cinema Ritrovato). Operates extensive educational programming for Italian schools in partnership with MIUR, comparable to Cinemovel's Schermi in Classe, and serves as a national reference for film literacy and restoration.
- BFI Education: British Film Institute's education arm, delivering film literacy, media education, and youth programs across UK schools. Comparable mission and institutional backing (publicly funded cultural body) to Cinemovel's MIUR/MIC-backed school programming.
- Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia: Italy's national film school and historical film institution (founded 1935), with educational programming that overlaps Cinemovel's school and youth workshops. Comparable Italian institutional film-education footprint and recognized role in national cinema policy.
Direct peers
- Solar Cinema: Dutch nonprofit operating a bicycle-powered mobile cinema that travels to communities lacking cinema infrastructure. Highly comparable mobile/portable cinema distribution model to Cinemovel's Carovana, though operating on smaller scale in Northern Europe.
- Schermi e Lavagne: Italian festival dedicated to cinema for children and schools, with programming and educational mission closely parallel to Cinemovel's Schermi in Classe and La Scatola Magica. Both operate within MIUR/MIBACT-aligned national education programming for film literacy.
- Kinodromo: Bologna-based independent and arthouse cinema operator focused on repertory, documentary, and educational screenings. Shares Cinemovel's Italian independent-film programming DNA and Bologna geographic base, including adjacent audiences for cultural-cinema events.
- Nomad Cinema: UK-based mobile/pop-up cinema operator that builds temporary cinemas in unusual venues (warehouses, fields, historic buildings). Most direct commercial analogue to Cinemovel's Temporary Cinema service model, though operating as a for-profit entity.
Others
- Cineuropa: Pan-European cinema portal covering distribution, production, and exhibition of European films. Adjacent ecosystem role: Cinemovel's distribution-to-unusual-venues model and international co-productions (Senegal, Mozambique) would surface on Cineuropa as a peer reference for itinerant European exhibition.
- Libera: Italy's primary anti-mafia civil society coalition (1,600+ associations, founded by Don Luigi Ciotti). While not a cinema organization, it is Cinemovel's Flagship strategic partner and co-promoter of Libero Cinema in Libera Terra; its asset base (confiscated properties, local networks) shapes Cinemovel's distribution model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cinemovel Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceCinemovel Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cinemovel Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cinemovel Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cinemovel Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cinemovel Foundation
What does Cinemovel Foundation do?
Cinemovel Foundation operates a mobile cinema caravan ("carovana") that brings free film screenings, film literacy programs, and creative filmmaking workshops to underserved communities, schools, and confiscated mafia properties across Italy and internationally. Its flagship offerings include Libero Cinema in Libera Terra (Italy's longest-running itinerant anti-mafia cinema festival), Schermi in Classe (a national school cinema education program), and La Scatola Magica (creative cinema workshops for youth aged 12–17). The foundation combines mobile cinema infrastructure, media literacy education, civic engagement, and original multimedia production as a single integrated cultural and educational offering.
Is Cinemovel Foundation a public or private company?
Cinemovel Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cinemovel Foundation founded?
Cinemovel Foundation was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cinemovel Foundation based?
Cinemovel Foundation is headquartered in Italy, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Cinemovel Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. 5x1000 Tax Designation is the primary driver. The others are institutional Grants and Project Funding and workshop and Lab Participation Fees.
Who are Cinemovel Foundation's main competitors?
ZeLIG School for Documentary is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Cineteca di Bologna, BFI Education and Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. Direct peers are Solar Cinema, Schermi e Lavagne, Kinodromo and Nomad Cinema. Others are Cineuropa and Libera.
Does Cinemovel Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cinemovel Foundation.
What industry is Cinemovel Foundation in?
Cinemovel Foundation's product category is Mobile Cinema and Civic Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAH, Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers), with a secondary code of MPADAKAF, Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional). Its NAICS code is 51213 and its SIC code is 7812.