#SmallScreenScenes #LIAMNEESON IFC FILMS ACQUIRES JAMES D’ARCY’S HEART-WARMING MADE IN ITALY STARRING LIAM NEESON AND MICHEÁL RICHARDSON
IFC Films and HanWay Films announced today that IFC Films is acquiring U.S. distribution rights to writer and director James D’Arcy’s feature screenplay and directorial debut, Made In Italy. The heart-warming film stars Liam Neeson as Robert, a bohemian London artist who returns to Italy with his estranged son played by Micheál Richardson (Vox Lux), to sell the house they inherited from his late wife. The deal was negotiated between HanWay Films MD Gabrielle Stewart and Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions at IFC Films. Made In Italy will receive a traditional theatrical release in the U.S. during the summer of 2020.
HanWay Films MD Gabrielle Stewart commented; “We are really thrilled to be partnering with IFC and excited to support their strategy of making Made In Italy their big summer theatrical release. From the very beginning this has been a very personal labor of love for all involved and they have fully embraced that.”
Arianna Bocco, EVP of Acquisitions and Productions at IFC Films said, “IFC has a long and dedicated history of supporting first-time filmmakers and their passion projects. Made In Italy is the complete package and we are excited to work with talent like James, Liam and Micheál to bring this special story to American audiences this summer.”
Made In Italy is a heart-warming father son story set in glorious Tuscany about bohemian London artist Robert (Neeson), who returns to Italy with his estranged son Jack (Richardson) to make a quick sale of the house they inherited from his late wife. Neither expects to find the once beautiful villa in such a state of disrepair…
Renovations go badly, with father and son soon finding themselves at odds. Robert’s comical lack of DIY experience leads him to seek help from some colourful locals including the no nonsense Kate (Duncan), an ex-pat making her living selling villas who quickly captures his attention. For Jack, the state of the house seems to mirror his search for memories of happier times with his mother. He soon falls for Natalia (Bilello), a vivacious young Italian chef, who restores both body and soul with delights from her local trattoria – until the pair find their developing relationship in jeopardy from Natalia’s jealous and threatening ex-husband.
As Robert and Jack painstakingly restore the villa to its previous glory, they also start to mend their relationship. The future may now look quite different and surprise them both.
The film also stars Lindsay Duncan and Valeria Bilello. D’Arcy directed and wrote the screenplay. It is produced by Pippa Cross and Sam Tipper-Hale for CrossDay Productions in collaboration with Indiana Production S.P.A. Ingenious Media fully funded the production with the support of the Tuscan Film Commission.
Neeson is represented by CAA and ARG, Richardson by Gersh and ARG, and D’Arcy by Markham Froggatt and Irwin.
ABOUT HANWAY FILMS
HanWay Films is a UK based international sales company specialising in quality, high-profile and commercially driven films from visionary and unique filmmakers around the world. Established in 1998 by producer Jeremy Thomas, HanWay offers full service solutions; arranging financing, sales, marketing and distribution. HanWay Films has long-term global producing partnerships and represents films from Recorded Picture Company along with projects from third party producers as well as the rights to an extensive film catalogue of over five hundred feature films.
HanWay’s slate includes Matteo Garrone’s PINOCCHIO starring Roberto Benigni and Andrew Levitas’ redemptive thriller MINAMATA starring Johnny Depp screening as Special Galas and THE ROADS NOT TAKEN by Sally Potter starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning and Salma Hayek screening in Competition at the upcoming Berlin Film Festival. The company also represents Jasmine McGlade’s FENCER starring Zoe Saldana; Julien Temple’s SHANE; Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut FALLING; Paul Schrader’s THE CARD COUNTER starring Oscar Isaac; Simon Barrett’s SEANCE starring Suki Waterhouse; THE SONG OF NAMES directed by Francois Girard and starring Tim Roth and Clive Owen; Robin Wright’s feature directorial debut LAND; John Patrick Shanley’s WILD MOUNTAIN THYME; Richard Press’ FARNSWORTH HOUSE; SAMURAI MARATHON, an action-led epic with a twist from director Bernard Rose starring Takeru Satoh and Nana Komatsu, and James D’Arcy’s heart-warming comedy MADE IN ITALY starring Liam Neeson and Micheál Richardson. For more information, please visit www.hanwayfilms.com
ABOUT IFC FILMS
Celebrating 20 years of distribution, New York based IFC Films is a leading distributor of independent film in the U.S. Its unique distribution model makes independent films available to a national audience by releasing them in theaters as well as on cable’s Video On Demand (VOD) platform, reaching nearly 50 million homes. Current and upcoming releases include SWALLOW by Carlo Mirabella-Davis, THE TRUTH by Hirokazu Kore-eda, and THE PAINTED BIRD by Václav Marhoul.
Some of the company’s successes over the years have included BOYHOOD, THE DEATH OF STALIN, FRANCES HA, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, THE BABADOOK, TOUCHING THE VOID, 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, CHE, SUMMER HOURS, ANTICHRIST, IN THE LOOP, JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK, TINY FURNITURE, and CARLOS. IFC Films has worked with established and breakout filmmakers, including Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, Spike Lee, Richard Linklater, Miranda July, Lars Von Trier, Gaspar Noé, Todd Solondz, Cristian Mungiu, Susanne Bier, Olivier Assayas, Jim McKay, Larry Fessenden, Paul Dano, Gregg Araki, Jacques Rivette, Claude Chabrol, Abdellatif Kechiche, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Abbas Kiarostami, Alfonso Cuaron, Noah Baumbach, Lena Dunham, Ethan Hawke and many more. IFC Films is a sister label to IFC Midnight, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
ABOUT INGENIOUS MEDIA:
For 21 years, Ingenious has been at the forefront of investing in the global creative economy and in that time has raised and deployed over $10 billion. Ingenious has been involved in the production of a diverse slate of films, including the award-winning Judy, Life of Pi, Avatar, Selma, OscarÒ-nominated Carol and Brooklyn, five films in the successful X-Men franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, breakout British hits Blinded by the Light, Suffragette and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, as well as acclaimed television programmes such as The Fall, Dr. Foster, The Honourable Woman and Watership Down.
Forthcoming releases include Military Wives, Misbehaviour, The Burnt Orange Heresy and Sundance crowd-pleaser Dream Horse.
At the current Berlin Film Festival, Ingenious Media has two titles: Andrew Levitas’s Minamata, starring Johnny Depp, and Sally Potter’s The Roads Not Taken, starring Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning and Salma Hayek. Both of these films are represented by Hanway Films for international rights. At the recent Sundance Film Festival, Ingenious was proud to showcase four world premieres: Euros Lyn’s Dream Horse starring Toni Collette and Damian Lewis, Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor starring Andrea Riseborough, Viggo Mortensen’s Falling, starring Lance Henriksen and Laura Linney and Sarah Colangelo’s Worth, starring Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci
