Gianni Di Gregorio's Mid-August Lunch (Pranzo di ferragosto), a Venice Critics' Week selection which scooped up the De Laurentiis/Filmauro sponsored $100,000 Lion of the Future prize, has enjoyed multi territory sales at Toronto, cutting deals with France (Le Pacte), Germany (Pandora), Benelux (Cinemien), Switzerland (Xenix) and Austria (Filmladen), Janine Gold of Fandango Portabello confirmed.

'Distributors have been quick to see the universality of this story and respond to its warmth. We started fielding offers after the first press screening in Venice and closed several deals during Toronto,' says Gold who added that negotiations are underway for other territories.

The film features director Di Gregorio in central role of Gianni, a middle aged man living in the heart of Rome who cares for his overbearing widowed mother. When her friends come to stay too life gets out of control.

The 57-year-old Di Gregorio comes off a particularly successful year. He was in the group of co-writers for Cannes Grand Prix winner Gomorrah by Matteo Garrone, who in turn produced Mid-August Lunch. The film was then accepted into Critics' Week and was the surprise winner of the De Laurentiis prize for first works.

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