Paolo Sorrentino is returning to his beloved Naples, twenty years on from his debut with One Man Up [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
fiche film], to film The Hand of God [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Paolo Sorrentino
fiche film]. Made for Netflix, the title is produced by Lorenzo Mieli on behalf of The Apartment - who belong to the Fremantle group - and by Paolo Sorrentino, who is also putting his name to the screenplay. Shooting will begin shortly in the Neapolitan city.

The title is a clear reference to Diego Armando Maradona (one of the director’s stated heroes) and the historic phrase uttered by the Argentine champion on the occasion of a sensational handball goal at the 1986 World Cup, but not much is known about the plot of The Hand of God, other than the fact that is will be a very personal film. “I’m thrilled at the idea of shooting in Naples again, twenty years exactly after my first film”, declared the director who won himself an Oscar for The Great Beauty [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Paolo Sorrentino
fiche film]. “The Hand of God is, for the first time in my career, an intimate and personal film, a cheerful yet painful coming-of-age story. This film represents a real homecoming for me”.

“Working with Paolo is always a great pleasure”, enthused The Apartment CEO Lorenzo Mieli, who also joined forces with Sorrentino to produce The New Pope [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Paolo Sorrentino
fiche série]. “As is always the case when we embark on a new project together, I’m astonished by Paolo’s ability to shuffle the decks and reinvent himself”.

Speaking for Netflix, Vice-President of International Original Films David Kosse stated: “I’ve always been a huge fan of Paolo Sorrentino. It’s an honour to work with one of the biggest filmmakers in Europe and to bring his incredible story to the world”. Netflix’s Head of Films Scott Stuber added: “The Hand of God is a personal film which brings Paolo back to Naples, his city, and it’s a wonderfully written story displaying his unmistakeable style”. He concludes: “To build up a great production house, it takes great filmmakers from all corners of the globe, telling their stories in all different languages. We can’t wait to bring Paolo’s story to a global audience”.