It’s been a long eight years between projects – but it might be worth the “wait” for this ambitious and stacked sophomore feature. Piero Messina premiered L’attesa in 2015 at the Venice and Toronto Intl. Film Festivals, and his second film Another End has Gael Garcia Bernal, Renate Reinsve, Bérénice Bejo and Tim Daish to boot. Messina has mostly directed for television in-between. Production would have taken place in Italy at the beginning of the year. The Berlinale might attempt to lasso the film as well.
Gist: Set in a near-future when a new technology exists that can put the consciousness of a dead person back into a living body, in an attempt to ease the grief of separation, providing a little extra time to say goodbye. Bernal play Sal, a man whose wife dies, and Reinsve as Zoe, the woman who then becomes his partner after renting out her body, in which the memory and consciousness of Sal’s former wife have been temporarily implanted.
Production Co./Producers: Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima, Carlotta Calori, Viola Prestieri.
Prediction: World Dramatic Competition.
Sales: Newen Connect.