Davide Nardini, Amazon’s head of scripted originals in Italy, has addressed the possible impact of the SAG-AFTRA strike on local productions and has underlined that the streamer is looking for more mainstream projects that target broad audiences.
Speaking at the Audiovisual Producers Summit in Trieste, Nardini said that if the strike dragged on, it’s possible that it could inadvertently open up opportunities for local talents.
He underlined that Amazon was not planning for this and neither is it part of its international strategy. He said that he wanted to provide context to Italian producers at the AVP Summit about possible outcomes.
Nardini participated in a panel session titled ‘Spotlight on Amazon’ and was replying to a question from Screen about the impact of the strike on Italian productions.
“My personal opinion is new international projects will have the opportunity to circulate because the strike has imposed a stop, so this entails some sort of gaps that can be filled by international projects,” said Nardini.
“If this is going to last for some time, then there is some room for local projects. This my personal opinion, I’m not speaking on behalf of Amazon.”
Nardini has overseen scripted projects including Bang Bang Baby, produced by Wildside and The Apartment and Vita Da Carlo, produced by Amazon Studios and Filmauro.
He said Amazon in Italy was looking to target broader audiences than previously and is aiming to attach bigger cast for projects.
Coming up on the film front is Christmas movie Elf Me, about an unconventional elf who works with Santa Claus. Lillo Petrolo, Federico Ielapi, Anna Foglietta and Claudio Santamaria star. Elf Me is directed by Niccolò Celaia and Antonio Usbergo, the directing duo known as YouNuts!, and is co-produced by Lucky Red, Goon Films, and Amazon Studios.
Romantic comedy Pensati Sexy is about a woman discovering her sexuality as she develops as a writer. Directed by Michela Andreozzi, it stars Diana Del Bufalo and Raoul Bova. Fabula Pictures is producing.
Nardini also showed a trailer for Citadel: Diana, the next chapter of the Citadel franchise that filmed in Italy and is produced by Cattleya. He explained the series is not a remake or a spinoff, but “an actual franchise reconstruction”.
Citadel: Diana is directed by Italy’s Arnaldo Catinari, and is developed by Alessandro Fabbri who is also the head writer and wrote the series with Ilaria Bernardini, Laura Colella, Gianluca Bernardini, and Giordana Mari. The cast includes Matilda De Angelis and Lorenzo Cervasio.
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