No public financing and no tax credit, at least for now. It was the Ministry of Culture itself that clarified the case of “Svergognata”, the docuseries dedicated to Rita De Crescenzo which is already in the works and could arrive on a platform in the coming months. The project ended up at the center of controversy after its profile appeared in the database of the Ministry’s Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual, which denied any request for state funding. But how much could the documentary on TikTok achieve?
What really turns out for Svergognata
The ministry specified that the production of Svergognata “has not submitted any application for public contribution, tax credit or other economic support measure”. As a result, no financial benefit was recognized or granted for the work.
The card that we found on the Mic website and attributed to “Svergognata” reports a total declared production cost of 1,093,409.42 euros. The work is indicated as a biographical documentary intended for the web, composed of three episodes for a total duration of approximately 90 minutes. The director is Francesco Lettieri, who wrote the screenplay together with Shadi Cioffi. The production companies listed are Anemone Film and Greenland.
In the same sheet, according to what emerges from the consultation of the database, the only approved practice is in fact the recognition of Italian nationality on a provisional basis. No amount appears under “Contributions received”. The Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual explains that the database contains the works registered on the system “for the purpose of obtaining contributions and recognition” and for which there is “at least one approved application”, the application may concern a contribution or simply be an administrative recognition.
What is the cinema tax credit, state aid for cinema
The cinematographic and audiovisual tax credit provided for by law 220 of 2016 is a tax relief granted to companies in the sector on the basis of the eligible expenses incurred to create a work. The company that applies and receives the benefit obtains a credit that it can use to offset the taxes and contributions it would have to pay.
In fact, the implementing decree establishes that the credit can be used through the F24 form, offsetting it against the company’s tax and social security debts. The approved benefit is also registered in the National State Aid Register.
All the men (and women) by Nicola Borrelli: money for films never seen, who’s in charge after Mr Miliardo
There was a lot of talk about tax credit after the Kaufmann case, accused of the double murder in Villa Pamphili in Rome, whose film allegedly obtained 800,000 euros without ever reaching theaters. The mechanism normally works in two moments. There is a preventive request, presented during processing, and a definitive request, with which the costs actually incurred are reported.
For documentaries, the decree establishes that the prior application cannot be submitted before 60 days before reaching 50 percent of the shooting days. The condition of Italian nationality is a requirement, not the only one, to obtain the benefit. If the requirements are no longer met or the controls ascertain improper use, the credit can be revoked and recovered with interest and penalties.
How much Shameless could get: the example
The declared cost for “Svergognata” is 1,093,409.42 euros. The decree indicated as the reference legislation on tax credit provides, for documentaries, a credit equal to 40% of the “eligible production cost”, subject to reductions and limits foreseen for certain categories of companies. Assuming that, simulating, the entire budget declared for “Svergognata” was “eligible” and that the 40% rate was fully applicable, the result would be a tax credit of 437,363.77 euros.
Therefore, in a purely theoretical scenario, the maximum benefit calculated on that basis would be approximately 437 thousand euros. However, the MiC has expressly declared that, to date, no application has been submitted. Furthermore, Rita De Crescenzo herself confirmed on TikTok that the series was indeed filmed.
In 2026 the tax credit rules are changing
The government has started a new crackdown on the measure in 2026. On 19 June the minister Alessandro Giuli announced a new decree which provides for the reduction of the maximum rates, the reduction of the recognizable ceilings for each work and new limits for each individual company. On 7 July, the MiC also announced the signing of the decree in agreement with the Ministry of Economy, specifying that the opening of the 2026 windows would take place after registration by the control bodies.
For 2026, 210 million euros have been allocated to tax credit for the production of cinematographic, television and web works: 80 million for cinema and 130 million for TV and web, to which are added 10 million allocated separately for video games. As of 27 August, however, the regulatory page of the Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual continues to indicate the old decree as the reference for national production, with overall rates between 25 and 40%.