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OSCAR 2008 Italy

“Substitute” gives film lessons

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Andrea Jublin spent a lot of time in school, not least of all the one belonging to the Genoa Repertory Theatre, where he graduated in acting. His latest short – Il supplente (“The Substitute Teacher”), the only Italian title vying for an Oscar – is set in a school, the same Rome high school, in fact, of Scusa ma ti chiamo amore [+see also:
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film profile
]
.

As he awaits the Academy’s verdict, this unknown 37-year-old actor-filmmaker from Turin has succeeded where Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Unknown Woman [+see also:
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film profile
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did not, to snag a nomination and invite to the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

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If it wins, the Oscar will not be the Il supplente’s first award. Produced by Sky Cinema and Frame By Frame, this surreal comedy (starring, written and directed by Jublin, and lensed by Daniele Massaccesi) about a strange teacher dealing with his new students has struck a chord with many.

In travelling the world, it was selected at Sundance and won the Aspen Shortsfest and the Prix Canal+ at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. In Italy it picked up a Special Mention for its screenplay at the Nastri d’Argento.

For Sky Cinema CEO Nils Hartmann, the film’s international success awards “our desire to back new Italian talent, and in this case the originality of a young filmmaker”.

This originality was also recognised by Jublin’s fellow countryman Gabriele Muccino, now based in Hollywood. The director of The Pursuit of Happyness announced that he wants to produce Jublin’s feature debut, the story of a 40-something man who realises his life is all wrong. In starting over, he throws a party and invites the Rolling Stones to play. Convincing Mick Jagger to participate in a debut film will not be easy, but an Oscar might help.

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(Translated from Italian)

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