PACO CINEMATOGRAFICA

Paco Cinematografica was born in 2003 by the initiative of Isabella Cocuzza and Arturo Paglia. Between 2003 and 2004 it produced some documentaries, while between 2005 and 2006 it produced three films: “Padiglione 22”, “Lettere dalla Sicilia” and “Cover Boy”, all of which were considered of national cultural interest and obtained financing from the General Directorate of Cinema of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.

Cover Boy”, directed by Carmine Amoroso with Luca Lionello as the protagonist, participated in more than 200 festivals and was nominated “best production” at the David di Donatello in 2009, while “Lettere dalla Sicilia” won the Golden Globe from the foreign press as a “film not to forget”. In 2008 Paco Cinematografica participated in the development of the screenplay for “Napoli – New York”, based on a story written by Federico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli.

In 2009, Paco obtained the rights of the book by Andrej Longo, “Chi ha ucciso Sarah”, and developed a screenplay along with Warner Bros Italia. The screenplay is by Ugo Chiti (co-writer of “Gomorra”). The film will be shot soon.  It also acquired the film rights of “Il Seminatore”, a crime novel written by Mario Cavatore for Einaudi based on “I ragazzi della strada” (Die Kinder der Landerstrasse), an organization against nomads active in Switzerland in 1939.

Also in 2009 Paco Cinematografica produced and distributed, along with Eagle Pictures, Rocco Papaleo’s first work, “Basilicata coast to coast”, with Alessandro Gassman, Paolo Briguglia, Max Gazzè, Rocco Papaleo and Giovanna Mezzogiorno. The film, distributed in over 200 copies, met with wide public and critical acclaim, earned excellent results at the box office and stayed on theater programs for five months. Among the numerous recognitions obtained by the film are 3 David di Donatello (for best debuting director, best music, best original song); 2 Nastri D’Argento (for best debut film and soundtrack), the Golden Globe for debut film and the Ciak d’Oro for best soundtrack.

During last year the company has produced “Scossa”, a film in 4 episodes directed by Ugo Gregoretti, Carlo Lizzani, Citto Maselli, Nino Russo, about the tragic earthquake of 1908, which destroyed the cities of Messina and Reggio Calabria; and “Chiamami Ismail”, a short film by Paolo Briguglia. Paco Cinematografica is currently developing the second film by the director, Rocco Papaleo, “Una piccola impresa meridionale”, and is in production with Giuseppe Tornatore’s international project THE BEST OFFER, starring Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland and Sylvia Hoeks.