PRODUCTION / FUNDING Italy / Spain / Poland

Lorenzo Zurzolo and James Franco starring in Daniele Barbiero’s Squali

26/07/2024 - Shooting is underway on the Italian director’s debut film, produced by Camaleo and Eagle Pictures, together with Spanish firm Neo Art Producciones and Poland’s Agresywna Banda

Actors Lorenzo Zurzolo and James Franco

Since 8 July, shooting has been underway on Squali, an international co-production loosely based on Giacomo Mazzariol’s second novel, Gli squali (his first book inspired Stefano Cipani’s movie of the same name, My Brother Chases Dinosaurs [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Stefano Cipani
film profile], which was presented in Venice’s 2019 Giornate degli Autori line-up). Produced by Camaleo in association with Eagle Pictures and in co-production with Spain’s Neo Art Producciones and Poland’s Agresywna Banda, the film signals the feature film directorial debut of Daniele Barbiero, who has previously authored short films, adverts and music videos.

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What direction should we take after leaving school? And, most importantly, when are we really ready to make this decision? This is the question asked by Max (Zurzolo), a 19-year-old boy from the Venetian provinces who has planned a trip to Spain with a group of friends in the most important summer of his life, a summer of freedom following his end of school exams. But, one evening, he receives an unexpected email from Robert Price (Franco), the founder of a start-up incubator who has noticed and wants to develop the app which Max has devised to help his peers decide what they want to do in the future, starting with the field they wish to focus on. Before he knows it, the boy finds himself on a train headed for the capital, ready and willing to chase after an opportunity which could change everything for him.

But things move far too quickly. In a flash, Max loses the carefreeness typical of his young age and finds himself thrust into the rules of the adult world. Life forces him to decide while continually on the move, just like sharks, which can’t ever stop for fear of dying. These boys, too, are sharks: they’re not bad, they’re just hungry and they can’t keep still. Money, social status and fame all feel within arm’s reach. This group of forever friends, including Max’s best friend Filippo (Centorame) and his teen love Anna (Francesconi), spend the holidays enjoying “their time” and wrestling with their unresolved worries, while Max tries to work out what it is he really wants. What form will his future take?

The costumes we see in Squali are designed by Massimo Cantini Parrini, who was twice nominated for the Oscars and who already has 5 David di Donatello awards (most recently for Miss Marx [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Susanna Nicchiarelli
film profile]) and 4 Nastri d’Argento trophies under his belt. Shooting will last six weeks between the Veneto and Lazio regions, and the film will be distributed in Italian cinemas by Eagle Pictures.