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PRODUCTION / FUNDING Italy

Francesca Archibugi to shoot The Hummingbird in the summer

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- The Italian filmmaker will be on set from June, directing Pierfrancesco Favino, Nanni Moretti and Kasia Smutniak in her new movie based upon Sandro Veronesi’s novel of the same name

Francesca Archibugi to shoot The Hummingbird in the summer
Actor Pierfrancesco Favino, actor-director Nanni Moretti and actress Kasia Smutniak

Pierfrancesco Favino (rewarded at the latest Venice Film Festival for his role in Padrenostro [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Claudio Noce
film profile
]
), Nanni Moretti (who is soon to unveil his new film Tre piani [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
) and Kasia Smutniak (recently seen in Dolittle, Dolce Fine Giornata [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jacek Borcuch
film profile
]
and the series Devils) are starring in the cast of Francesca Archibugi’s new film The Hummingbird [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benedetta Porcaroli
film profile
]
, on which filming is scheduled to begin in June, encompassing Rome, Paris, Florence and the Tuscan coast. Auditions are currently underway for the remainder of the cast.

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The director (who made her name in 1988 with Mignon Has Left, scooping 5 David di Donatello trophies and the New Directors award in San Sebastian, before going on to win a Best Film David di Donatello for Towards Evening in 1990 and being selected for Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section courtesy of Il grande cocomero) is returning to the director’s chair six years after An Italian Name [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, a remake of the French hit What’s In A Name [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, and two years after Vivere [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Francesca Archibugi
film profile
]
, which was presented out of competition at the 76th Venice Film Festival.

The Hummingbird is based upon Sandro Veronesi’s novel of the same name (The Hummingbird), which is published by La Nave di Teseo and which won the Strega Prize in 2020. The screenplay is written by Francesca Archibugi, Laura Paolucci and Francesco Piccolo and tells the tale of Marco Carrera (played by Favino), “The Hummingbird”, whose life is characterised by fateful coincidences, losses and experiences of absolute love. The story advances in line with the strength of certain memories which see the film jumping from one period to another and from one era to another, in a fluid expanse of time which stretches from the early 70s into a possible near future. It’s at the seaside that Marco first meets Luisa Lattes, a beautiful and rather unusual girl. Theirs is a love which will never be consummated but will never die out. Instead, married life for Marco will unfold in Rome, involving Marina and their daughter Adele. Prey to an implacable fate which subjects him to some terrible trials, Marco finds himself returning to Florence. Ready to protect him from the worst of destiny’s blows is Daniele Carradori, Marina’s psychoanalyst, who teaches Marco how to deal with life’s most unexpected gear changes. “The Hummingbird is the story of the ancestral force of life, of the strenuous battle that we all lead to withstand moments in our lives which can, at times, feel unbearable, armed with the powerful weapons of illusion, joy and happiness”, a statement reads.  

Produced by Fandango in league with Rai Cinema, The Hummingbird will be the second work based upon a Sandro Veronesi novel to be offered up by Fandango, following 2008’s Quiet Chaos [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antonello Grimaldi
interview: Domenico Procacci
film profile
]
, which was directed by Antonello Grimaldi and starred Nanni Moretti.

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(Translated from Italian)

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