Mario Martone to Direct Doc on ‘Il Postino’ Actor Massimo Troisi

Italian auteur Mario Martone, who was just lately in Cannes with “Nostalgia,” is about to direct a high-profile doc concerning the late Massimo Troisi, considered one of Italy’s most beloved comedian actors who starred within the Oscar-winning movie “Il Postino.”

Troisi, who performed the easy postman who rides his bicycle on the sandy terrain of an Italian island to ship mail to his sole shopper, the Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda, died tragically of congenital coronary heart failure at age 41 in June 1994, the day after “Il Postino” completed capturing at Rome’s Cinecittà studios.

The movie directed by Michael Radford, which additionally starred Maria Grazia Cucinotta and Philippe Noiret, grew to become an arthouse sensation one yr later when it opened within the U.S. distributed by Miramax.

“Il Postino” went on to win an Oscar in 1996 for finest dramatic rating, having earned 5 nominations, together with for finest movie, in addition to finest director for Radford, and finest actor and tailored screenplay for Troisi who grew to become the primary actor nominated posthumously for a number of Oscars, although he didn’t win.

Troisi had originated the movie and was very enthusiastic about getting “Il Postino” made. After studying the Chilean novel “Burning Persistence,” the story of a postman’s gradual awakening to Neruda’s poetry, he had approached Radford about adapting the guide right into a film.

Shortly after filming started, Troisi, whose coronary heart was broken as a toddler from rheumatic fever, had been informed by medical doctors that he would want a coronary heart transplant instantly. However he determined to proceed capturing the image. During filming, his well being was so precarious that he may solely handle to work for roughly an hour per day.

“Il Postino” was the twelfth movie for Troisi, who additionally directed 5 of the flicks he starred in, together with “Nothing Left to Do However Cry,” which he wrote, directed and starred in with Roberto Benigni in 1985.

The Troisi doc, titled “Laggiù Qualcuno Mi Ama” – which interprets to “Somebody Up There Loves Me” – will make use of beforehand unseen supplies and have testimonials from many colleagues and associates.

The screenplay is by Martone and Anna Pavignano, who was Troisi’s companion and co-wrote all of his movies, together with “Il Postino.”

Martone’s homage to Troisi is being produced by Italy’s Indiana Manufacturing in affiliation with Imaginative and prescient Distribution and Medusa Movie. The plan is for Imaginative and prescient and Medusa to collectively launch the Troisi doc in Italian cinemas on Feb. 19, 2023, which might have been Troisi’s seventieth birthday.

Imaginative and prescient Distribution Worldwide is dealing with worldwide gross sales.

“A friendship was born with Massimo based mostly on a terrific mutual esteem. I adored his movies and we longed to work collectively,” Martone mentioned in an announcement. 

Each Troisi and Martone are Neapolitans, although to be actual Troisi was born within the Naples suburb of San Giorgio a Cremano. 

“The chance that I’m being provided to make a documentary by way of which the viewers can reconnect with him in the present day on the large display is subsequently one thing very particular for me,” Martone added. “I can return to having a dialogue with him; hearken to him, and convey him again to the spectators of yesterday and [introduce him] to these of in the present day,” Martone added.

The prolific Martone, whose “Nostalgia” was well-received in Cannes earlier this yr, can be know for Toni Servillo-starrrer “The King of Laughter,” “The Mayor of Rione Sanità,” and “Capri Revolution,” all of which launched from Venice.

Indiana co-CEO Fabrizio Donvito mentioned the Troisi doc stems from his encounter with the favored actor and director’s common producer Mauro Berardi, whereas Medusa chief Giampaolo Letta famous it’s going to “make his recognition much more common.”

Imaginative and prescient Distribution boss Massimiliano Orfei underlined that, in tandem with Indiana and Medusa, they are going to do their finest to “guarantee for this prestigious mission one of the best [possible] distribution to rejoice one of many biggest artists that our nation has ever had.”