The key pointsSofia Coppola intervenes on the controversy triggered by Favino«Each director can choose the actor he wants»Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schiavo talk about their road to Hollywood
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The role of Ferrari to an Italian actor, as Pierfrancesco Favino would like? Yes of course, if the Italian actor manages to have the weight of dragging international audiences to the cinema and guaranteeing producers to return within budgets. We have excellent actors in Italy, Favino among them, so much so that he roams with elegance in all genres and transformations: his presence always guarantees a return to the box office in Italy, where the home audience recognizes him.
In the USA cinema is not assisted and producers take risks. A film that has a budget of 90 million dollars, as in the case of “Ferrari” by Michael Mann, needs faces to support the success of the film.
In Italy cinema is partially assisted. Nothing bad, indeed, commendable, God forbid. This is how the new recruits emerge (see Rohrwacher and Carpignano) who would otherwise be crushed by the giants of the big majors and platforms. But, it must be said, very forgettable films are also born.
The great Italian international stars, from Loren to Mastroianni
We have had many Italian international stars, from Sophia Loren to Claudia Cardinale to Lollo herself, who fled Hollywood when she felt trapped. And again, Mastroianni, Magnani and Golino. Favino (and many others) could very well make it in LA, but first we need to fly overseas, try our hand at the Hollywood star system and bring out the undoubted qualities of our actors.