Cinephobia Releasing has acquired North American rights from Pulsar Content to Fireworks, the first feature from Italian actor Giuseppe Fiorello.
Set in Sicily in 1982, the film follows two teenage boys who develop a profound friendship that blossoms into love. However, when their conservative families discover the truth, the consequences are violent.
Fireworks was released on March 23 in Italy via Bim Distribuzione where it has generated over $1m to date at the box office according to Box Office Mojo.
Pulsar Content has already closed deals for Fireworks in key territories including Schochiku in Japan, HBO for Eastern Europe, Flamingo in Spain and Lusomundo in Portugal.
Cinephobia Releasing was launched last year by Ray Murray, founder of TLA Releasing and Artsploitation Films, and specialises in genre and LGBTQ+ movies from around the world.
The film will have its US premiere at Film at Lincoln Center and Cinecittà’s New York event Open Roads: New Italian Cinema in June.
Fireworks is produced by Iblafilm, Rai Cinema and Fenix Entertainment in association with Silvio Campara, Golden Goose and Genera Life and stars Gabriele Pizzurro, Samuele Segreto, Fabrizia Sacchi and Simona Malato.
Pulsar Content cofounders Marie Garrett and Gilles Sousa called the film “a beautiful and important feature” and added: “We are convinced the film will find its audience in North America as it did in Italy.”
Cinephobia called the film “romantic and dramatic” and said “the film beautifully paints a vivid portrait of a Sicilian town confronted with a new world.”
Pulsar Content will continue sales for the film in Cannes. Its line-up also includes The Opera!, an adaptation of Orpheus and Eurydice as an on-screen opera musical and Niki de Saint-Phalle’s biopic Niki, the directorial debut of French actress Céline Sallette starring Charlotte Lebon. The young company founded in 2019 also brings Marinette about female footballers, animation Easter title Bim and Mandalay’s new thriller The Patience of Vultures.
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