10/06/2020 - Ferzan Ozpetek’s The Goddess of Fortune and Sergio Castellitto’s new film starring Bérénice Bejo Il materiale emotive are both in the line-up of the expanding Italian sales agency

Director Sergio Castellitto and actress Bérénice Bejo

True Colours, a firm in full, international expansion, is bulking up its own list of films on the occasion of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival’s Online Marché du Film (22-26 June).

New works include Il materiale emotivo [+see also:
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Among the titles for 2021 featuring in the line-up, there’s the highly promising Superheroes [+see also:
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film profile]. The film stars Jasmine Trinca, Alessandro Borghi and Greta Scarano, and is produced by Lotus Production, A Leone Film Group Company and Medusa Film.

Likewise in post-production is the Austrian-Belgian co-production Why Not You [+see also:
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Stealing focus among the four market premieres is Punta Sacra [+see also:
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interview: Francesca Mazzoleni
film profile], the second work by Francesca Mazzoleni, coming fresh off the back off its victory in the International Competition of the 51^st Swiss documentary festival Visions du Reel, which unspooled online at the end of April. Produced by Alessandro Greco on behalf of Morel Film, in association with Patroclo Film, this documentary focused on the community living in Idroscalo di Ostia (where Pierpaolo Pasolini was found dead) is an example of real-life film which, in the words of Cineuropa, “combines authenticity with aesthetic vision”. "It made me angry that this place and its people weren’t being portrayed as they really are, only being shown in a negative light”, Mazzoleni explained in our interview.

The second title on the list is “decidedly” of the comic genre: D.N.A. - Decisamente Non Adatti [+see also:
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film profile], directed by and starring the hilarious duo Lillo & Greg, who are helming their first work as directors having previously played lead roles in several well-fairing titles coming courtesy of Volfango De Biasi. Starring alongside them in this comedy, which sees them playing two former school friends who meet again as adults and decide to exchange genetic codes in a bid to improve their lives, is the brilliant Anna Foglietta. Produced by Lucky Red and Vision Distribution in collaboration with Sky Italy and Amazon Prime Video, the film was released nationally via PVOD (due to the Covid-19 crisis) by way of Vision Distribution on 30 April.

Another work released on VOD for the same reasons, though this time by Lucky Red on 20 May, is Un pugno di amici [+see also:
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film profile]. A comedy directed by Sergio Colabona and produced by Tunnel Produzioni in association with Sicilia Social Star, the film stars Antonio Matragna and Emanuele Minafò in lead roles, alongside the most widely loved comedians of RAI Sicily’s TV shows Cabaret and Made in Sud.

Similarly unfolding within Sicilian surrounds, though this time in a university setting, we find Tuttapposto [+see also:
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Added to the market premieres is one of the biggest films of last season in Italy, The Goddess of Fortune [+see also:
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film profile] by Ferzan Ozpetek, a drama exploring LGBT themes, starring Stefano Accorsi, Edoardo Leo and Jasmine Trinca, who scooped 2020’s prestigious David di Donatello award for Best Actress. The film also won the David for Best Original Song, a piece written and performed by Diodato, and has also been nominated for eight Silver Ribbon awards this year (Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress, Best Soundtrack, Best Original Song and Best Casting Director), with the winners set to be announced at the end of June by the Italian Syndicate of Film Journalists. Produced by Warner Bros. Ent. Italia, R&C Produzioni and Faros Film, The Goddess of Fortune was released to resounding success in Italian cinemas in December 2019, earning itself €8.2 million in the first 11 weeks and €1.4 million over the course of the first weekend.

Astonishing takings – over €15.5 million (more than 2 million tickets sold) -  were also accumulated by Il primo Natale [+see also:
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film profile], a work directed by the Sicilian duo Ficarra & Picone, who, over the festive period of Christmas 2019, cleaned up at the box office with their measured, gentle and family-friendly brand of comedy. Produced by Tramp Limited, together with Medusa Film who also distributed the picture, the film has rightly been awarded the 2020 Viewers’ David di Donatello prize.

Another comedy on the list is the movie directed by Guido Chiesa on behalf of Colorado Film, Say It Loud [+see also:
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film profile], which stars Valentina Lodovini alongside Neri Marcorè and Libero De Rienzo.

(Translated from Italian)