21/08/2025 - On the Lido, the French sales agent will have high hopes for the new film by Italy’s Andrea Di Stefano and the feature debut by Greece’s Evi Kalogiropoulou

My Tennis Maestro by Andrea Di Stefano

The 82nd Venice Film Festival (27 August-6 September) looks set to be very much devoted to European cinema for French international sales agent Playtime, whose line-up includes the Italian production My Tennis Maestro by Andrea Di Stefano, which will be unveiled in the official selection (out of competition), and Gorgonà by Greece’s Evi Kalogiropoulou, due to be screened in competition in the International Film Critics’ Week.

With Italian star Pierfrancesco Favino toplining the cast, starring alongside Tiziano Menichelli, Giovanni Ludeno and Dora Romano, My Tennis Maestro is the fourth feature by Di Stefano, who rose to fame at Toronto in 2014 with Paradise Lost [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile] and took part in the 2023 Berlinale with a Special Screening of The Last Night of Amore [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andrea Di Stefano
film profile]. Written by the director himself, the story unfolds in Italy in 1989. After years of intense training, 13-year-old Felice, carrying his father's expectations on his shoulders, finally sets out to compete in the national tennis tournaments. While dreaming of a simple summer holiday, he's instead placed under the wing of ex-tennis champion Raul, an unconventional coach hired by his father. Match after match, the two embark on a journey that will lead Felice to discover the taste of freedom, and Raul to glimpse the possibility of a fresh start. As they travel along the Italian coast, an unexpected, deep and sincere bond between them develops. The film is being produced by Indiana Production, Indigo Film, Vision Distribution and Memo Film, with support from Sky.

The Playtime team, headed up by Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, Sébastien Beffa and François Yon, will be touting a second trump card at Venice: Gorgonà by Greece’s Evi Kalogiropoulou (see the news). This feature debut is being produced by Greece’s Neda Film, and is co-produced by their compatriots at Blonde and by French outfits Blue Monday Productions and Kidam.

Playtime will also be pressing on with sales for Solomamma [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Janicke Askevold
film profile] by Norway’s Janicke Askevold (which was premiered in competition at Locarno) and for its three Cannes selections: the competition entry Eagles of the Republic [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tarik Saleh
film profile] by Sweden’s Tarik Saleh (which will be shown shortly in Toronto Centrepiece), The Richest Woman in the World [+see also:
film review
interview: Thierry Klifa
film profile] by France’s Thierry Klifa (set to be released in France on 29 October) and C’est Si Bon! by his fellow countrywoman Diane Kurys (due for release in France on 1 October). Also standing out on the line-up, and currently in post-production, are Greenland by Emmanuel Courcol (see the article), Nobody’s Son by Safy Nebbou (see the article – with Sony Pictures confirmed to distribute it in France, the USA, Canada and South America), Chopin, A Sonata in Paris by Poland’s Michał Kwieciński, In a Whisper by Tunisia’s Leyla Bouzid, Five Seconds by Italy’s Paolo Virzì (see the article), The Rembrandt Syndrome by Pierre Schoeller (see the article – French theatrical release slated for 24 September) and the Spanish thriller Golpes by Rafael Cobos (see the article).

(Translated from French)