Univideo - The Luxury of Being Disconnected and the Culture of Physical Media

In an era where everything flows, suggested by algorithms that decide what to watch, when, and for how long, talking about physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays might seem anachronistic. Yet, it is precisely within this apparent contradiction that the event promoted by Univideo at the Anteo Palazzo del Cinema in Milan, The Luxury of Being Disconnected, was situated. A title that does not allude to an escape from the present but to a re-conquest of time, attention, and the very meaning of the audiovisual experience.

The meeting focused on a crucial question: what does physical media represent today in a world dominated by streaming and "liquid" content? Not a simple technological alternative, but a different way of inhabiting images, building memory, shaping one's cultural identity, and not least, transmitting culture.

After the introductory speech by Univideo's president, Luciana Migliavacca, the discussion was led by Federico Bagnoli Rossi, president of FAPAV (Federation Against Audiovisual Piracy), who accompanied and coordinated the various moments of the meeting. The screening of the film 40 secondi – an intense and rigorous reconstruction of the events that led to the tragic death of young Willy Monteiro Duarte – was instead curated by producer Roberto Proia (Eagle Pictures) together with Beatrice Puccilli, one of the film's interpreters.

At the end of the film, the actress engaged with the high school students present in the hall, leading to a direct discussion about the film's creative process and its themes, transformed into a kind of "behind-the-scenes" account of its making.

The DVD as an intentional gesture in a world of passive consumption

One of the most interesting points to emerge from the qualitative research presented by NIQ Italia and GfK concerns the dimension of the gesture. Purchasing a DVD or a Blu-ray is no longer an automatic act: it is a choice. It requires time, intention, awareness. It is the opposite of the continuous "scrolling" that characterizes digital consumption, where content often arrives before desire.

In the accounts of the research participants, physical media thus becomes a space of control and freedom, a piece to add to the construction of one's comfort zone. There is no changing catalog, no title or season of a series that suddenly disappears, no viewing interrupted by notifications or suggestions. Once chosen, the film is there to stay.

In this sense, the DVD or Blu-ray is not perceived as a relic of the past, but as a bulwark against the volatility of the present. An object that does not expire, does not depend on licenses, is not removed for commercial reasons. It is a safeguard of stability in an increasingly fluid and uncertain audiovisual ecosystem.

Personal archives and cultural identity

Another key element that emerged strongly is the overcoming of the figure of the "collector" in favor of that of the personal archivist. Those who buy DVDs and Blu-rays today do not necessarily accumulate out of fetishism, but rather build over time part of their self-narrative. Each chosen title is a declaration of taste, belonging, and memory.

The research showed how, especially among younger people, physical media is perceived as an integral part of their cultural storytelling. It's not about owning everything, but about preserving what matters. Films that marked a moment in life, works that one wants to re-watch, show to others, and pass down.

In this sense, the disc becomes a relational object. It lends itself to being given as a gift, commented on, shared, and experienced at one's own pace. It is something that passes from hand to hand, lending itself to a social and emotional dimension that streaming, by its nature, struggles to replicate.

Quality time and depth of experience

During the event, the idea that viewing on physical media is perceived as quality time clearly emerged. Not only because it is (potentially) free of interruptions, but because it implies preparation, anticipation, and not least the ritual of encountering the Seventh Art. Inserting a disc, choosing from the menu, and certainly exploring the extra content to discover the production: each step contributes to creating a deeper relationship with the work.

This dimension was also highlighted by director and cinephile Mauro Zingarelli, who called the Blu-ray the "ultimate gadget of a film." A statement that captures an essential point: physical media does not merely contain the film but expands it, contextualizes it, enriches it. Audio commentaries, making-of features, interviews, deleted scenes become tools for understanding and immersion, especially for those who experience cinema not just as entertainment, but as a language.

Accessibility, inclusion, and social value

A particularly significant part of the meeting was Martina Romano's speech, a deaf LIS consultant for the film industry. Her testimony drew attention to an often-overlooked aspect: the importance of subtitled editions in making cinema accessible to deaf people.

In this context, the DVD takes on a value that goes beyond the individual dimension. It becomes an instrument of inclusion, capable of breaking down barriers that streaming does not always prioritize. It is a reminder that the quality of the audiovisual experience is not just about video or audio resolution, but also about the possibility of being shared by everyone.

Digital as an ally, not an enemy

One of the most balanced messages to emerge from the event is the need to overcome the ideological opposition between physical and digital. As Luciana Migliavacca, president of Univideo, repeatedly emphasized, streaming is not an enemy of physical media. On the contrary, it has contributed to making content more accessible, widespread, and present in everyday life.

The point is not to choose one format over the other, but to recognize that they offer different experiences. Digital is immediacy, discovery, breadth of catalog. Physical is depth, permanence, relationship. They can coexist and, indeed, enrich each other. Discovering content on a platform can lead to a desire to relive the experience in a more engaging way, where the 4K Blu-ray is currently the ultimate object for enjoying the spectacle immersed in one's Home Theater with quality images and less compressed audio tracks. The disc is also a key to unlocking the behind-the-scenes of production, including making-of features and creative commentaries.

It is precisely from this perspective that the research speaks of an "augmented" disc: a hybrid medium capable of interacting with digital without losing its specificity. Interactive content, personalized experiences, connected elements that do not replace the object, but enhance it.

The future: less quantity, more meaning

Looking to the future, the picture that emerges is not one of a mass return to physical media, but of a qualitative evolution. Physical media no longer needs to justify its existence by chasing streaming on the grounds of quantity or price. Instead, it must assert its uniqueness: to be an object with a soul.

Adult users seek coherence, care, attention. They want well-designed editions, not fillers. Younger people seek connection, personalization, the possibility of self-expression. In both cases, the common thread is the same: the desire for an experience that has weight, duration, and meaning.

Open challenges

Naturally, challenges are not lacking. The progressive disappearance of DVD and Blu-ray players from homes, the reduction of physical retail outlets, and the aggressive competition from platforms are real obstacles. But as often happens, crises are also opportunities for redefinition.

If physical media can reposition itself as a cultural object, as a space for active disconnection, as a meeting place between work and viewer, it can continue to exist despite – and perhaps precisely because of – an increasingly fast and superficial world.

The luxury of choice

Ultimately, the Univideo event highlighted a simple but powerful concept: today, true luxury is not having everything immediately, but choosing consciously. Choosing what to watch, when, how, and with whom. Choosing to stop, to enter a story, to give it time to take us by the hand and live a more immersive experience within one's quality time.

In this sense, DVDs and Blu-rays are not just media, but a declaration of intent. A way of saying that some experiences deserve attention, care, and memory. That in a world that rushes, stopping and slowing down to better contemplate expanding one's sensations can be the most radical act of all.