France’s UFO Distribution has acquired French rights to Venice Horizons entry “An Endless Sunday” by first-time Italian director Alain Parroni from Fandango Sales.
The film will segue from Venice to Toronto where it screens in the fest’s Discovery section.
Set on the outskirts of contemporary Rome, this coming-of-age drama – which is based on the director’s own personal experiences – involves a trio of young characters named Alex, Brenda and Kevin. “An Endless Sunday” has been described by Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera as “a story of nihilism and rebellion” that “could become the manifesto of a lost generation.”
“For my generation, narrating our adolescence and coming-of-age is a matter of language,” said Parroni in his director’s statement.
His film questions “the languages and media that new generations are using, as well as their values in relation to the world around them. For me Alex, Brenda and Kevin are the incarnation of a dream of an anxious teenager that falls asleep with smartphone in hand, in front of a blaring TV,” the director goes on to note.
Developed at TorinoFilmLab’s scriptLab workshop,“An Endless Sunday” is produced by Italy’s Domenico Procacci (Fandango) in tandem with Giorgio Gucci (Alcor) and German auteur Wim Wenders (Road Movies).
“I think part of our job as producers is finding new innovative voices and I strongly believe Alain Parroni is one of them,” said Procacci in a statement.
Noted Wenders: “It’s fascinating how Alain captures the essence of a teenager’s mind today – a patchwork of preferences without hierarchy.”
“We are proud of bringing to the French audience this very promising director,” said UFO Distribution’s Stéphane Auclair. “With this first work, Parroni displays all his talent, offering a dramatic take on the contemporary world, making bodies and places sublime,” he added.
Fandango will release “An Endless Sunday” in Italy on Sept. 14.
