15/07/2008

As of a few weeks ago, the two top titles from Mikado’s new slate (Jim Jarmusch’s The Limits of Control, Bertrand Tavernier’s In the Electric Mist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bertrand Tavernier
film profile]) “will not be ready for the Venice Film Festival”. The news was announced by company CEO Alessandro Usai, who after distributing this year’s Golden Bear winner, The Elite Squad, in October in Italy, will also release 2008 Cannes winner, The Class [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carole Scotta
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile] by Laurent Cantet.

However, Venice (in a parallel section, Critics’ Week or Venice Days) could include Machan, the directorial debut of Uberto Pasolini, producer of The Full Monty. Based on a true story – and shot in Sri Lanka with funds from the UK (Redwave Films), Italy (Raicinema, StudioUrania), Germany (Babelsberg Film) and Sri Lanka (Shakthi Films) – the film tells the story of a makeshift national handball team, created by a handful of desperate men for the sole purpose of getting visas for Europe. “The subject matter is arthouse, but with a light tone and many entertaining moments,” said Usai.

There are two Italian films scheduled for the autumn. One is Albakiara, by music video director Stefano Salvati, which owes much (starting with the title, borrowed from one of his well-known songs) to singer-songwriter Vasco Rossi. Set for a late September release, according to Usai, the film “promises sex, drugs, rock’n’roll and a noir atmosphere”.

Set to hit theatres in October or November (perhaps after screening at the Rome Film Festival), Ti stramo by Gianluca Sodaro and Pino Insegno is a parody of romantic films for adolescents, and sports a cast of young debut actors as well as top names in cameo roles.

Other comedies include two British titles, including Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which won its star Sally Hawkins an award at the 2008 Berlinale and has been chosen as this year’s Christmas title.

To be released in early 2009, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People by US director Robert B. Weide features Simon Pegg and numerous Hollywood stars (Jeff Bridges, Megan Fox, Kirsten Dunst). “[The film] is a mix between There’s Something About Mary and The Devil Wears Prada,” claims Usai: “We bought it without seeing it, grabbing it from the major studios who are distributing it in the rest of the world. But after seeing it at the Cannes Market, we’re certain it was a good acquisition”.

Besides Michael Moore’s latest (which is still top secret) and the aforementioned films by Jarmush and Tavernier, which should make their way to Berlin or Cannes, 2009 will also bring Io sono l’amore (“I Am Love”) by Luca Guadagnino (currently shooting, with Alba Rohrwacher, Tilda Swinton and Pippo Delbono) and L’ultimo Crodino (“The Last Crodino”) by Umberto Spinazzola, starring Enzo Iacchetti and Ricky Tognazzi.

(Translated from Italian)