2017 Sundance Film Festival Predictions: Jonas Carpignano’s A Ciambra

Truth be told, there are film fest programmer folk from the Croisette and the Lido itching to get their hands on world preem for Jonas Carpignano‘s sophomore feature. More likely a safe bet at either one of those prestige fests, his shorts A Chjàna and A Ciambra (winner at Cannes Critics’ Week) and 2015 debut, Mediterranea (Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director) has given the young filmmaker clout on both sides of the Atlantic, but the Sundance Institute folk have also contributed to his early success and could be in the “running.” He was supported in the labs in 2012 for the feature version of A Chjàna (also winner of winner of the Sundance/Mahindra Global filmmaking award), but if the Italy-set tip of the boot immigrant drama A Ciambra were to show in Park City, it would count as the first project that technically is tied to the Institute’s new FilmTwo Initiative. So under the radar that it’s difficult to determine whether filming has indeed been completed, we can see a pathway not unlike how Cutter Hodierne moved from short to feature treatment with the internationally tinged Fishing Without Nets.

Gist: Pio is a young Romani boy living in southern Italy who must decide how far he is willing to go to keep his family together and repay his brother’s debt.

Production Co./Producers: Jon Coplon (Mediterranea), Ryan Zacarias (Entertainment).

Prediction: U.S. Dramatic Competition or bust. More likely a Cannes or Venice entry.

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available. TBD (domestic). TBD (international)

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