Italy’s Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has rejected accusations of political interference over the denial of public funding for the documentary “Giulio Regeni, tutto il male del mondo”. Speaking during question time in the lower house of parliament, Giuli said that selective film funding is awarded exclusively by an independent technical commission, without any direct intervention from the ministry.

Giuli explained that the project had first been submitted in 2024 and then again in 2025, but failed on both occasions to reach the minimum score required under the funding criteria. The fact that the documentary was assessed in two different years and by two separate sections of the commission, he argued, reinforces the view that the outcome was purely technical. While saying he did not share the decision “on an ideal or moral level,” the minister insisted that the government cannot alter or influence the panel’s judgment without compromising its independence.

The opposition responded sharply. Democratic Party lawmaker Gianni Cuperlo accused the government of turning culture into a space for political control and described the rejection of the film as a troubling signal both symbolically and civically. One possible route remains open: Giuli noted that a separate application for tax credit support has also been submitted and is still under review.