In what is set to become the second Spanish film to get an Italian make-over, Lucky Red's Andrea Occhipinti has acquired Italian remake rights to Fernando Leon's comedy Family (Familia).

The Mondays In The Sun director's 1996 movie, Family, tells the story of a lonely man who hires professional actors to stand in as his family and help celebrate his birthday.

Entitled Pity That I Miss You, the remake will be directed by Luca Miniero and Paolo Genovese, the Italian filmmakers behind the well-received local comedy Incantesimo Napoletano, whose lead actress, Marina Confalone, won a Donatello award for her role in 2002.

"I liked the simple dramatic structure of the film, which is a bittersweet comedy," Occhipinti told ScreenDaily.com. While Italy and Spain share cultural similarities that ease the cross-over of titles between both countries, Occhipinti said jokes in the film will be adapted to the Italian market, and the film "will be much more funny."

Lucky Red will co-produce with Elias Querejeta's self-named Madrid-based company, the production outfit behind the original film, with which it also co-produced Mondays In The Sun. Occhipinti will release Pity That I Miss You in Italy through his own Lucky Red distribution label.

Family is the second Spanish film to be lined up for Italian make over in recent months: Rome production powerhouse Cattleya is also developing a remake of Cha-Cha-Cha, Antonio Del Real's 1998 comedy about Spaniards partying in the 1980s.

Cattleya's Riccardo Tozzi, Marco Chimenz and Giovanni Stabilini are co-producing with Spain's Flamenco Films and Estudios Picasso.