In Pursuit Of Happyness director Gabriele Muccino has just completed work on a new short film entitled Senza Tempo ( Timeless ).
Made as part of his association with a film academy created by Peroni (yes, the Italian drinks company), Muccino created the film to celebrate filmmaking in his native Italy.
And because he’s a nice chap, he selected seven Brits with a desire to work in film and whisked them off to Rome to help him make the movie.
“We’ve been trying to raise up and coming talent,” Muccino told Total Film earlier this year. “So we’re coming together to create a short set in the ‘60s, and we’ll try to grab the Italian style, Italian flavour. Italian cinema is very much about the craftsmanship, the passion for details. Passion is the throughline for Italian cinema, you really feel how heartfelt it is.”
From 26 August, Muccino will be touring the film around the UK with an event called the Peroni Nastro Azzurro Accademia del Film Wrap Party Tour. Launching in London, guests can learn all about Italian film while also watching Senza Tempo .
Did Muccino enjoy returning to his homeland? Is making a film there different to Hollywood?
“It’s very freeing,” he says. “From a freedom’s point of view, you control the film entirely. You don’t have to struggle to use politics to control… Hollywood is very much about how you communicate to the producers about your vision before jumping on the sets. It’s more tiring, but the movie literally travels all over the world which is a big pay-off.
“There is nothing like a studio system [ in Italy ]. It’s all independent film, it’s completely different and puts you in a game with cons and pros.
“You have to fight for your vision [ in Hollywood ], yes. Happyness was my first movie I really had to push myself hard. I also had the luxury to have Will Smith very much believing in myself, so he really helped protect me and the inclination to put it off and bring my vision.”
Find out more about the film at peroniitaly.com .
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