Our appointment is set for 3 p.m. in the Piazza Mercato, in the heart of Naples, on a hot September day that feels like August. It’s a sunny, deserted and silent square, where three big trucks and two vans are parked. The crew is busy preparing the scene. The grips, working in religious silence, position the camera on a dolly for a tracking shot. We are on the set of The Sea Beyond, season four of the hit series produced by Rai Fiction and Picomedia, about the lives of a group of kids in juvenile prison. The show has been the most successful ever on Rai’s streaming platform, with the first three seasons — which are now also available on Netflix in Italy — generating 220 million views (in a country with a population of 60 million).
We are greeted by director Ivan Silvestrini. This, he says, gesturing to the grips setting up the dolly,...
We are greeted by director Ivan Silvestrini. This, he says, gesturing to the grips setting up the dolly,...
- 9/22/2023
- by Pino Gagliardi
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Naples-set young adult series “The Sea Beyond,” which depicts the world of a juvenile jail in the crime-ridden Italian city, is scoring a slew of international sales prompted by its phenomenal ratings on pubcaster Rai.
Germany’s Beta Film, which is selling the show about kids behind bars produced by Rome-based Picomedia and Rai Fiction, has inked deals with WarnerMedia Latin America for HBO Max, Sweden’s free-to-air channel TV4, cabler Hot for Israel, and streamer Blu TV in Turkey.
The deals mark a rare case of an Italian young adult series traveling abroad.
Set in a youth detention center overlooking the bay of Naples, “The Sea Beyond” depicts a world populated by kids apparently without hope, “given that they mostly belong to [the Camorra] organized crime syndicate that Naples is known for,” said Picomedia chief Roberto Sessa, who added that the show also has “all the color and vitality of that city.
Germany’s Beta Film, which is selling the show about kids behind bars produced by Rome-based Picomedia and Rai Fiction, has inked deals with WarnerMedia Latin America for HBO Max, Sweden’s free-to-air channel TV4, cabler Hot for Israel, and streamer Blu TV in Turkey.
The deals mark a rare case of an Italian young adult series traveling abroad.
Set in a youth detention center overlooking the bay of Naples, “The Sea Beyond” depicts a world populated by kids apparently without hope, “given that they mostly belong to [the Camorra] organized crime syndicate that Naples is known for,” said Picomedia chief Roberto Sessa, who added that the show also has “all the color and vitality of that city.
- 1/27/2022
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
24 companies, all but five launched last decade, descend on Locarno from Aug. 6, mostly in person, to present their production slates.
Every market in international is its own story. So the projects they bring run a huge gamut. Following, a quick drill down on the companies and their banner titles. A second article, published later at Locarno, will look at some of the young indie sector’s major concerns and growth areas.
Estonia
Kafka Films, Karolina Veetamm
Tallinn-based, focused on narrative and doc features, at Match Me with a slate led by a trio of socially-relevant titles: “Tell Me,” a “poetical documentary,” says producer Veetamm; women’s emancipation tale “Aurora,” from Andres Maimik and Rain Tolk; and “The Last Five,” a dark comedy about Tallinn homeless from Triin Ruumet director of 2016 dark comedy, “The Days That Confused,” a Karlovy Vary East of the West Special Jury Prize winner.
Alexandra Film, Marianne Ostrat...
Every market in international is its own story. So the projects they bring run a huge gamut. Following, a quick drill down on the companies and their banner titles. A second article, published later at Locarno, will look at some of the young indie sector’s major concerns and growth areas.
Estonia
Kafka Films, Karolina Veetamm
Tallinn-based, focused on narrative and doc features, at Match Me with a slate led by a trio of socially-relevant titles: “Tell Me,” a “poetical documentary,” says producer Veetamm; women’s emancipation tale “Aurora,” from Andres Maimik and Rain Tolk; and “The Last Five,” a dark comedy about Tallinn homeless from Triin Ruumet director of 2016 dark comedy, “The Days That Confused,” a Karlovy Vary East of the West Special Jury Prize winner.
Alexandra Film, Marianne Ostrat...
- 8/6/2021
- by John Hopewell and Emilio Mayorga
- Variety Film + TV
This Italian series led by a young man who turns his social invisibility into a superpower is dropping today on Netflix, in a triumph for multiculturalism, inclusion and the fight against prejudice. Invisibility in the eyes of society is transformed into a superpower in Zero, the new Italian Netflix original series created by Menotti (They Call Me Jeeg), based upon an idea by the writer of Angolan origin Antonio Dikele Distefano. This eight-episode production sees an Italian series placing a young, Italian man of colour at the heart of its story, for the very first time, supported by a wholly multicultural cast of young, second generation immigrants, to tackle themes such as diversity, inclusion, gentrification and the sense of belonging within an outer suburb of Milan which has never been shown before. Directed by Paola Randi, Ivan Silvestrini, Margherita Ferri and Mohamed Hossameldin, Zero’s protagonist is Omar (newcomer Giuseppe Dave.
Italian author Antonio Dikele Distefano, who grew up in the northern Italian city of Ravenna, is the originator of new Netflix Original series “Zero,” which marks the first series centered around the present-day lives of Black Italian youth. The groundbreaking skein centers on a shy Black kid named Zero who can become invisible, and uses his superpower to try and save Milan’s Barrio neighborhood from gentrification.
The 28-year-old Distefano, who was born in Italy to Angolan parents, co-wrote the series, which was inspired by one of his books. The show was also created by comic book artist and screenwriter Menotti together with Stefano Voltaggio (who is also its creative executive producer), Massimo Vavassori, Carolina Cavalli and Lisandro Monaco.
The eight-episode “Zero” is produced by Fabula Pictures with the participation of Milan’s Red Joint Film. It will drop on Netflix on April 21. The episodes are directed by Paola Randi,...
The 28-year-old Distefano, who was born in Italy to Angolan parents, co-wrote the series, which was inspired by one of his books. The show was also created by comic book artist and screenwriter Menotti together with Stefano Voltaggio (who is also its creative executive producer), Massimo Vavassori, Carolina Cavalli and Lisandro Monaco.
The eight-episode “Zero” is produced by Fabula Pictures with the participation of Milan’s Red Joint Film. It will drop on Netflix on April 21. The episodes are directed by Paola Randi,...
- 4/19/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Produced by Fabula Pictures, the series’ nine episodes directed by Paola Randi, Ivan Silvestrini, Margherita Ferri and Mohamed Hossameldin will be available from the beginning of 2021. Filming has kicked off on a new Italian Netflix Original Series Zero, which was born out of an idea from young Lombardian writer of Angolan origin Antonio Dikele Distefano and created by Menotti (the co-author of They Call Me Jeeg). Written by Dikele Distefano and Menotti, together with Stefano Voltaggio (who’s also Creative Executive Producer on the series) Massimo Vavassori, Carolina Cavalli and Lisandro Monaco, Zero tells the tale of a shy boy with the extraordinary superpower of invisibility. He’s not so much a superhero as a modern hero who discovers his powers when Barrio, a peripheral neighbourhood in Milan from which he longs to escape, finds itself in peril. Zero will have to step into the uncomfortable shoes of a hero,...
Synopsis: Lukas (Jack Kane), a young farmer whose family is killed by savage raiders in the countryside, sets out on an epic quest for revenge, forming an unlikely trio with a majestic dragon and a swashbuckling, sword-fighting mercenary, Darius (Joseph Millson). Helena Bonham Carter voices Siveth, the ice breathing dragon who was once banished from the kingdom for failing to save the king’s life. Compelled by the young man’s cause, she emerges from hiding, using her fantastical powers on the trio’s adventurous journey which brings revelations and rewards beyond vengeance. Dragonheart: Vengeance is an exciting action-adventure filled with fantasy and humor that will thrill the entire family.
Complete your Dragonheart library when the all-new five-Movie Collection is available on DVD on February 4, 2019. Now fans can experience the legendary fantasy franchise with all five movies in one complete must-own set including, Dragonheart, Dragonheart: A New Beginning, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse,...
Complete your Dragonheart library when the all-new five-Movie Collection is available on DVD on February 4, 2019. Now fans can experience the legendary fantasy franchise with all five movies in one complete must-own set including, Dragonheart, Dragonheart: A New Beginning, Dragonheart 3: The Sorcerer’s Curse,...
- 1/23/2020
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Exclusive: Colette first English-language film for buyer backed by Sky; will co-release with Good Films.
Wash Westmoreland’s (Still Alice) upcoming biopic Colette, starring Keira Knightley, will be the first international title released by major new Italian distributor Vision Distribution, which is backed by Sky Italia.
Vision will release the movie in partnership with Good Films who picked up the anticipated biopic from HanWay last year.
A launch date has yet to be finalised for the film, which is currently in production.
The Wire And The Affair star Dominic West stars opposite Keira Knightley in Colette, which is based on the colourful life of the French author who wrote Gigi and Cheri and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948. Producers are Killer Films, Number 9 and Bold Films.
Shakeup
Headed by former Warner Bros. Italy managing director Nicola Maccanico, Vision Distribution is the Jv between Sky Italia - Italy’s top pay-tv provider - and major local producers...
Wash Westmoreland’s (Still Alice) upcoming biopic Colette, starring Keira Knightley, will be the first international title released by major new Italian distributor Vision Distribution, which is backed by Sky Italia.
Vision will release the movie in partnership with Good Films who picked up the anticipated biopic from HanWay last year.
A launch date has yet to be finalised for the film, which is currently in production.
The Wire And The Affair star Dominic West stars opposite Keira Knightley in Colette, which is based on the colourful life of the French author who wrote Gigi and Cheri and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948. Producers are Killer Films, Number 9 and Bold Films.
Shakeup
Headed by former Warner Bros. Italy managing director Nicola Maccanico, Vision Distribution is the Jv between Sky Italia - Italy’s top pay-tv provider - and major local producers...
- 7/10/2017
- ScreenDaily
An official selection of the 35th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifff), the first trailer for Ivan Silvestrini’s Monolith has come crashing in. In the film, a mother and her son plan a surprise visit to Los Angeles to see her husband/his father. Halfway there they get into a terrible accident in the middle of nowhere and now […]...
- 3/27/2017
- by Brad Miska
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Brisk business for Italian sales outfit at Efm.
Rome-based sales company True Colours struck multiple deals at this year’s European Film Market (Efm) for It’s The Law (pictured), One Kiss and Monolith.
Comedy duo Ficarra and Picone’s hit It’s The Law, about a village in Sicily that elects a straight-arrow professor as mayor, will be distributed in Latin America by Sun Distribution, in China by Hy Media, in Greece by Seven Films and in Bulgaria by Film Vision.
True Colours is also handling international remake rights for the film, which was produced by Tramp Limited and distributed in Italy by Medusa Film.
Ivan Cotroneo’s adult dramedy One Kiss, about three high school outsiders, was sold to Japan Italy Films and to Portugal’s Il Sorpasso. There were already deals in place for USA, UK (Tla), France (Optimale) and Germany (Pro-fun).
True Colours has also inked deals for English-language Italian thriller [link=tt...
Rome-based sales company True Colours struck multiple deals at this year’s European Film Market (Efm) for It’s The Law (pictured), One Kiss and Monolith.
Comedy duo Ficarra and Picone’s hit It’s The Law, about a village in Sicily that elects a straight-arrow professor as mayor, will be distributed in Latin America by Sun Distribution, in China by Hy Media, in Greece by Seven Films and in Bulgaria by Film Vision.
True Colours is also handling international remake rights for the film, which was produced by Tramp Limited and distributed in Italy by Medusa Film.
Ivan Cotroneo’s adult dramedy One Kiss, about three high school outsiders, was sold to Japan Italy Films and to Portugal’s Il Sorpasso. There were already deals in place for USA, UK (Tla), France (Optimale) and Germany (Pro-fun).
True Colours has also inked deals for English-language Italian thriller [link=tt...
- 2/21/2017
- ScreenDaily
Here's a first look and a teaser that appeared on Facebook to Ivan Silvestrini's "Monolith", where a mother and her son must fight to survive. Starring Katrina Bowden, Brandon W Jones and Andrea Ellsworth, the film hails out of Italy, although it's English-language. Watch for release news as it comes in.A mother and her son plan a surprise visit to Los Angeles to see her husband/his father. Halfway there they get into a terrible accident in the middle of nowhere and now must fight to survive....
- 11/15/2016
- www.ohmygore.com/
High-concept films are generally the norm for any movie falling into the sci-fi category. Often, such concepts result in a film that focuses more on action and fancy effects; sometimes, the high concept is used to examine one or a few characters and how they react in extreme situations. Monolith is one of the latter, choosing to look at one woman's actions and emotional reaction in a life-threatening crisis. Ivan Silvestrini's feature film isn't always successful, but it follows in the steps of other films to look at how women experience motherhood in different ways, not always positive.Sandra (Katrina Bowden) is a former pop star, now married to her former producer Carl (Damon Dayoub) with whom he has a young son, David. Sandra loves her...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 11/6/2016
- Screen Anarchy
UK fans have been enjoying five days of nailbiting action with the 2016 edition of the Horror Channel FrightFest, which has just come to a close at Shepherd's Bush, London, and we have been chronicling the event with the official FrightFest TV daily highlights packages. Day Five's subjects? Director Steven DeGennaro, Actor Scott Allen Perry and Producer Charles Mulford discuss Found Footage 3D; Director Tricia Lee and Actor Peter Blankenstein discuss Blood Hunters, Directors Michael Borowiec and Sam Marine discuss Man Underground; Director Nick Jongerius and Actor Charlotte Beaumont discuss The Windmill Massacre; Director Ivan Silvestrini discusses Monolith; and Director Babak Anvari discusses Under The Shadow....
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 8/30/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Taking the wheel
It's a big black beast of a car, the kind of vehicle that makes drivers feel shielded from everyone else on the road. It has its own artificial intelligence, hazard detectors of numerous kinds and even an autopilot. It also has a smartphone app with which it can be operated remotely, but when Sandra's toddler accidentally uses this when she's outside it, on a lonely desert road, they find themselves in serious trouble.
Monolith is a film that perfectly captures the kind of scenario every parent dreads. It's a tough little thriller, pitting its heroine against a hostile environment as she strives to rescue her child, but the sense of desperation it evokes will be familiar to many. Director Ivan Silvestrini, excited to be screening his film at Frightfest, told us something about how it began.
Taking a stand in the desert
"I love movies that combine action and emotion.
It's a big black beast of a car, the kind of vehicle that makes drivers feel shielded from everyone else on the road. It has its own artificial intelligence, hazard detectors of numerous kinds and even an autopilot. It also has a smartphone app with which it can be operated remotely, but when Sandra's toddler accidentally uses this when she's outside it, on a lonely desert road, they find themselves in serious trouble.
Monolith is a film that perfectly captures the kind of scenario every parent dreads. It's a tough little thriller, pitting its heroine against a hostile environment as she strives to rescue her child, but the sense of desperation it evokes will be familiar to many. Director Ivan Silvestrini, excited to be screening his film at Frightfest, told us something about how it began.
Taking a stand in the desert
"I love movies that combine action and emotion.
- 8/29/2016
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
London-based genre festival to feature 19 world premieres and 35 UK & European premieres.
Horror Channel FrightFest has unveiled the line-up for its upcoming 17th edition, taking place at its new home of the Vue Shepherd’s Bush from Aug 25-29.
Sean Brosnan’s revenge thriller My Father Die [pictured] receives its European premiere as the opening film, while the UK premiere of Sang-ho Yeon’s Cannes title Train To Busan closes this year’s festival.
In total, the 62-strong feature line-up includes 19 world premieres and 35 UK & European premieres. Ivan Silvestrini’s Monolith, Tricia Lee’s creepy chiller Blood Hunters and Nick Jongerius’ gory The Windmill Massacre are among the world premieres.
Meanwhile, Adam Wingard’s eagerly anticipated The Woods will receive its European premiere in the Main Screen strand, playing alongside the likes of Stephen King adaptation Cell, Italian box office hit They Call Me Jeeg Robot and Cody Calahan’s Let Her Out.
Other Main Screen...
Horror Channel FrightFest has unveiled the line-up for its upcoming 17th edition, taking place at its new home of the Vue Shepherd’s Bush from Aug 25-29.
Sean Brosnan’s revenge thriller My Father Die [pictured] receives its European premiere as the opening film, while the UK premiere of Sang-ho Yeon’s Cannes title Train To Busan closes this year’s festival.
In total, the 62-strong feature line-up includes 19 world premieres and 35 UK & European premieres. Ivan Silvestrini’s Monolith, Tricia Lee’s creepy chiller Blood Hunters and Nick Jongerius’ gory The Windmill Massacre are among the world premieres.
Meanwhile, Adam Wingard’s eagerly anticipated The Woods will receive its European premiere in the Main Screen strand, playing alongside the likes of Stephen King adaptation Cell, Italian box office hit They Call Me Jeeg Robot and Cody Calahan’s Let Her Out.
Other Main Screen...
- 7/1/2016
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Did you know that outside of the Us and Canadathe YouTube search string "web series" is most used in Italy? Italian creators have released some incredible productions of late, with Ivan Silvestrini's Stuck serving as one of the best examples. The latest web series to emerge from the boot-shaped island is Sinners: Which One Is You?, a dark and terrifying adaptation of Dante's Inferno. Each episode of Sinners tackles a different sin. The debut shows us what happens to the perpetually indolent, while episode two portrays the horrors that befall the lustful. Both of these hellish punishments mirror those described by Dante in his poetic masterpiece. Though the physical horrors don't come until the end of each episode, creator David Petrucci does well to make each sin emotionally horrifying through graphic domestic crimes like abuse and rape. His creative vision is certainly a far cry from the twee and...
- 8/16/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
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