First Indo-Italian film to roll in 2006

Tony Tharakan

The saga of an Indian urchinwho realises his dreams is set to become the first Indo-Italian project under the film co-productiontreaty signed by the two nations this year. The film, an adaptation of a book by Italianfillmaker Sergio Scapagnini, is to be directed by India's Goutam Ghose and will go on the floors in2006.

The Story of Lala - based symbolically on thelegend of Ulysses - is in the first stages of production and Ghose is working on the script," Scapagnini told PTI on the sidelines of the 36thInternational Film Festival of India here.

The 59-year-old filmmaker said he was pleased to bethe first beneficiary of the May 2005 co-productiontreaty between India and Italy. "We are currently location-hunting for the film,which is to be shot in India and at Naples in Italy,"Scapagnini said.

Renowned actor Omar Sharif, who also stars in thefilmmaker's project 'Fire At my Heart,' is expected tobe part of the new venture. "As for Indian stars, Ghose has worked with top-notch Bollywood stars in the past and I'm sure there would be several in the film. However, that's the director's call," Scapagnini said.

At the moment, the filmmaker is on the lookout fora talented Indian boy who would play the title role ofLala in the film. Apart from 'The Story of Lala,' no other project isin the pipeline for Scapagnini as of now. "The film is such a great challenge that I don'tdare put other initiatives in my mind," he said.

According to an Italian Embassy official, theco-production treaty seeks to remove any obsatcles tofilmmkaing and provided various incentives forIndo-Italian co-productions. "The interest in the Italian filmmaking industryhas to be seen to be believed. We brought around 1,300kg of books and material for the IFFI Film Bazaar andit's disappearing fast," Italian Embassy CulturalCentre Director Patrizia Raveggi told PTI.

Sergio Scapagnini maintains that Indian and Italianfilmmakers have been collaborating on projects evenbefore this year's treaty. "The first such film 'Vrindavan Film Studios' - afilm entirely shot in India - was made ten years agounder the direction of Italy's Lamberto Lambertini,"he said.

The film featured several Indian stars includingSonali Kulkarni and was premiered at the 1996 editionof the film festival. "Half the cast and crew had been from India," saysScapagnini, whose production house 'IndrapurCinematografica' had produced the movie.

The filmmaker went on to produce a documentary 'The Impermanence, a journey into the world of the DalaiLama', directed by Ghose, which had its world premiereat the Venice Film Festival last year.

Scapagnini has also distributed several Indianclassics in Europe, including those made by thelegendary Satyajit Ray, and also roped in Bengaliactor Soumitro Chatterji to speak at several Rayretrospectives abroad.

The filmmaker feels that Goa is a fabulous venuefor holding the International Film Festival of India. "The government should think of giving facilitiesfor film aficionados to come here so that it can also become the hub of cine lovers like the Venice FilmFestival," he said.

An Indophile, who believe it or not, is currentlyon his 62nd visit to India, Scapagnini says he lovesthe country and its people. "I make it a point to visit Indore whenever I come,as my closest Indian friends, whom I met 20 years ago,are based there," he said. Incidentally, the filmmaker has named hisproduction house 'Indrapur' after the ancient name ofthe city of Indore.