The Cricket Short Movie – 13 min. Italy “The Cricket” by Stefano Lorenzi participates in contest at the 68° edition of the Festival in Venice for the Section “Controcampo Italiano”. The Cricket – a short film of 13 minutes length – is inspired to a true history. It is the first work of Stefano Lorenzi with Daniele Ciprì as Director of Photography and the participation of actors Birol Ünel and Edoardo Gabbriellini. A movie – without dialogues just composed by sounds, music and images – that faces a theme of absolute actuality: the innate call of the soul toward a desire of freedom. Official Projection: Tuesday September 6th, 11.00 AM SALA GRANDE Projection for the Press: Monday September 5th, 7.15 PM SALA PASINETTI WOP film Party: Tuesday September 6th, 9.00 PM GERVASUTI FOUNDATION Synopsis An airport, a place of waiting and suspension, a sealed chamber that lives just in passing. Announcements and electronic sounds mark the passing time, overwhelmed by the powerful roar of the engines. Regardless of the flow surrounding him, a worker is tirelessly putting his shoulder to the wheel. Then a jangle distracts him, high above all others: an obsessive decoy that takes hold of him and forces him to confront his own position as a man, calling for a vital decision. Logline A short movie based on a true story; no dialogues, only sounds and images. In a construction site of an international airport, a migrant labourer works for a few money; suddenly he’s disquieted by an annoying jangle who distracts him and forces him to a vital decision. Comment by the Director “Nowadays I couldn’t really tell if this short film was inspired real fact or come directly from my mind. Sometimes I forget important, real and genuine things. I am overtaken be an oppressive sense of guilt for my mistakes so I listen to my heart and reach for something forgotten and everything seems clearer.” The Director Stefano Lorenzi was born little country in Pistoia (Tuscany) in 1977. He studied and worked with national and international producers. Film directors, screenwriter and photographer, he directed documentary films for cinemas, television and publishing industry as well as short film and advertising. He is presently working on the film “I calcianti” which received a mention from the Ministry of Culture Activity. The cast Birol Ünel was born in Mersin (Turkey), 1961. Is a German actor of Turkish descent. He has acted in a number of German and Turkish films, TV series and theatrical productions. His name, “Birol”, means “unique” in Turkish. In 1968, his family moved to Brinkum near Bremen in Germany. He studied acting at Hanover Conservatory. Ünel began a theatre actor at the Berliner Tacheles where he played the lead and also directed the play “Caligula”. Ünel made his film debut in 1988’s “The Passenger.” He played a private detective in the film “Dealer”, which he followed up with a role in Fatih Akın’s “Im Juli”. Birol then acted in the award winning “Gegen die Wand” as Cahit Tomruk. He won the German film prize for best actor for this role. His latest films have been “Transylvania”, “Seven Heroes” and “Soul Kitchen”. Ünel also acted in the hit Turkish film “Hırsız var!” in 2005. Edoardo Gabbriellini was born in Livorno, 1975. In 1997 he played his first leading role in “Ovosodo” produced by Paolo Virzì; he worked again with Virzì in “Baci e Abbracci” (1999) and in “Tutta la vita davanti” (2008). In 2001, he directed and acted in the music video “Tre parole” by Valeria Rossi. His film “B.B.e il cormorano” - which he had directed as well as having played the role of Mario – was presented at the Film Festival of Cannes in 2003 and in 2009 he was at the 66th International Venice Film Festival in “Io sono l’amore” by Luca Guadagnino in the section “Orizzonti”. He acted in “Figli delle stelle” (2010) directed by Lucio Pellegrini and “C’è chi dice no” (2011) by Gianbattista Avellino. Clemente Cecchi was born in Florence, 1978. Graduated in Economy and Management of Art, Culture and Communication at the Bocconi University, in 2003. While studying in Milan, he began acting in avant-garde theatre productions and continued his acting studies in Rome where he played in the TV film “Le ragazze di San Frediano” (2007) and in the TV series, “Il commissario Manara” (2009) as well as in other short films. Production & Distribution Company Only a few months after its creation, the WOP film production company has already earned a respected position in cinema production, demonstrating a noteworthy dynamism above all in foreign markets. WOP film Srl, situated in Via delle Fonti, 8D – 50010 in Scandicci, just outside Florence, was created in January 2011. From January to March, WOP film has brought forth an intense activity of high professional value. In only three months, the company has been engaged in important cinema productions and has made agreements for co-productions and pre-sale royalties. Together with Gianfranco Piccioli’s company Settimaluna, plans are being made for the production of the movie “I Calcianti” (www.icalcianti.com), Lorenzi’s first production. “I Calcianti” has already been recognised as a culturally interesting first production and has received financing from the Ministry of Culture Activity, not to mention the interest of major distributors. WOP film, in collaboration with Clemente Cecchi, has already produced Lorenzi’s short film “The Cricket” which is in competition at the 68th Film Festival in Venice. The company has also recently followed the production of the “video-emozionale” for Roberto Cavalli’s latest Spring/Summer fashion show. Together with financing from the Regione Toscana, WOP film is presently working on Lorenzi’s film “Palude”. Filmography of Stefano Lorenzi Director In pre-production: film, “I Calcianti”, photography by Daniele Ciprì, hosting an important cast to be presented to the public soon. 2011: short film, “The Cricket”, with Birol Ünel and Edoardo Gabbriellini, photography by Daniele Ciprì 2010: screenplay for the film “I Calcianti”; 2009: author and director of a series of sociological documentaries for RAI Educational (among these a documentary on the earthquake in the Abruzzo, one on the maximum security prison in Catania, and others on various topics); second unit director in “Henry” by Alessandro Piva; 2008: first draft of the film Palude; work done on the film “La notte Bianca”; 2007: assistant director to Spike Lee in “Miracle at St.Anna”; assistant director to Virzì in “Tutta la vita davanti”; co-writer of the TV series “I liceali” by Lucio Pellegrini and presently on air for Mediaset; 2005: assistant director to Paolo Virzì in “N – Io e Napoleone” with Elio Germano, Daniel Auteuil and Monica Bellucci; 2004: assistant director to Giacomo Campiotti in “Mai più come prima”; director of the short film “La nostra terra”, a brief documentary done during a trip to Palestine and Israel; Other works: director of a documentary film on the European Social Forum held in Florence, “Firenze città aperta”; director of a documentary film on incidents which occurred at the G8 in Genova in July 2001, “Genova senza risposte”, later distributed in national cinemas. And keep in mind that: “Looking after a cricket means giving yourself the great, old, sophisticated joy of feeling, right in the middle of the Winter, the amazing, warm voice of the Spring, while everything around is cold.” (Tiziano Terzani) __________________________________________ For further information and high resolution pictures please contact: www.wopfilm.com | info@wopfilm.com To book an Interview with Actors and Director please contact: Cosimo Savio +39 392 9625157