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INTERVIEW WITH BRANDI SAVITT
Echelon Entertainment 2 proudly announces the April 14th theatrical release of "Our Italian Husband," in New York, Chicago and Boston. Co-produced by Cristaldi Pictures, the company that created "Cinema Paradiso," and Senza Pictures, "Our Italian Husband" takes its inspiration from the Italian comedies of the 1960s. Starring "Il Postino's" Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Pierfrancesco Favino, Brooke Shields and Chevy Chase, "Our Italian Husband" is a romantic comedy that blends American and Italian cultures in a touching tale of love, redemption and family.
We met up with the film's American producer Brandi Savitt to talk about the production and the state of independent film both here and abroad.
Titled Mariti in Affitto in Italy, how did you get involved in the stateside production of Our Italian Husband?
The Director, Ilaria Borrelli, was living in New York looking for talent to help turn her script into a romantic comedy for the big screen. We met through a mutual friend of ours and immediately realized that we shared a common creative drive. After the tragedy of September 11th, I was looking for a comedy with an uplifting message to produce. Our Italian Husband was just the film I was looking for. The genre was perfect and it seemed like perfect timing to make an international film.
What challenges did you face producing a film with such an international cast and crew?
The majority of the key crew was Italian, yet 95% of the film was shot in New York City. Although the misinterpretations were often extremely humorous, the language barrier was quite a challenge for everyone. Luckily, most of the Italian crew was bilingual and my producing partner Massimo Cristaldi was an excellent interpreter. Massimo and I were always on set, which also helped in the communication process.
What was it like to work with the talents of Brooke Shields and Chevy Chase?
I really marveled at the professionalism and patience of the entire cast. Filming on the streets of New York proved difficult because Brooke, Chevy and Maria garnered a lot of attention. Brooke, who plays a pregnant woman in the film, had to deal constantly with the cameras and questions from the paparazzi. Even during our shoot in Italy, Maria Grazia needed a bodyguard to deter her avid fan base.
Do you think Co-Productions like Our Italian Husband are becoming more prevalent?
The international distribution and finance benefits of co-productions have always been appealing to the indie film community. However, more than ever, I believe that international business is essential in today's global economy, and this does not exclude the entertainment industry. Take a look at the credits of movies today, and you'll see that even many studio films are now co- ventures with foreign companies. For us, it was more than a business decision. Our film is about two cultures colliding. There was no better way to achieve that feeling than by doing it for real. It was great fun.
What aspect of producing do you enjoy the most?
Bringing all of the elements together to make a project transform from the page to a movie on the big screen is what I love most about being a producer. I love every stage of the process. There is always those tentative moments when the fate of a film hangs in the balance, but when it all clicks, there's nothing like it...
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