Pathé to sell Italian-language Loro outside Italy.
Focus Features has acquired Italian rights to Paolo Sorrentino’s Loro (Them) starring Toni Servillo (pictured) as Silvio Berlusconi, the controversial and larger-than-life former prime minister, Mediaset founder and former AC Milan owner.
Universal Pictures Italy will distribute the feature and Indigo Films anticipates a summer start. Pathé is co-producing Loro and will handle sales outside Italy.
Sorrentino, who served on this year’s Cannes competition jury and whose English-language HBO show The Young Pope starring Jude Law is expected to be an Emmys contender, will direct Loro from a screenplay he co-wrote with Umberto Contarello.
It is understood the project will centre on Berlusconi and his entourage. Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima, and Carlotta Calori serve as producers.
Servillo starred in Sorrentino’s foreign-language Oscar winner The Great Beauty and Il Divo, in which he portrayed another Italian prime minister, Giulio Andreotti.
“Given Focus’ commitment to collaborating with global filmmakers in their home countries, we’re proud to be partnered with Paolo on this unique new event project,” Focus president Robert Walak said.
“His works combine humour and compassion like no one else’s. Loro is his distinctive vision of how one of the world’s most fascinating men redefined power for our media age.”
No comments yet