Nino Rota, Who Wrote Music for ‘The Godfather’ and Most Federico Fellini Films, Being Portrayed in High Profile Doc Directed by Walter Fasano (EXCLUSIVE)

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Renowned Italian composer Nino Rota, who created the soundtracks for films like “La Dolce Vita,” “The Leopard” and “The Godfather” (along with numerous other iconic movies), is slated to be the subject of an upcoming documentary titled “Nino.” This project will be helmed by Walter Fasano, a well-known figure in the editing, screenwriting, and directing worlds.

Fasano is recognized for his extensive creative partnership with Luca Guadagnino over many years, particularly in the role of editor on films like “I Am Love”, where he worked not only as an editor but also as a co-writer; “A Bigger Splash”; “Call Me by Your Name”; and the documentary “Bertolucci on Bertolucci”, which they both directed. More recently, Fasano has taken up directing duties for the documentary “Pino” about renowned Italian artist, sculptor, and set designer Pino Pascali.

Roberto Rota penned the soundtracks for sixteen movies directed by Federico Fellini, such as “La Strada,” “8 1/2,” “Juliet of the Spirits,” “Amarcord,” and “La Dolce Vita.” Additionally, he created music for Franco Zeffirelli’s “Romeo and Juliet” and the Sicilian-inspired theme for “The Godfather,” which earned him an Oscar for its score in “The Godfather: Part II.” Rota also worked on 150 films, including collaborations with King Vidor (“War and Peace”) and Luchino Visconti (“The Leopard”). Tragically, he passed away at the age of 68 in 1979.

As I pen this down, the camera is rolling in Italy’s Apulia region – a place that held a significant part of maestro Rota’s life, particularly the bustling port city of Bari. I’m referring to Fasano’s upcoming film, a captivating tapestry that will delicately blend archive footage and insightful interviews with renowned figures who collaborated with the master or were profoundly inspired by him. This illustrious lineup includes the acclaimed director Park Chan-Wook, Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat, and seven-time Grammy Award-winning conductor and arranger Vince Mendoza. Stay tuned for this cinematic homage to a truly exceptional artist!

Nino Rota’s music is so exceptional that creating a film about it feels like a natural step,” Fasano explained in his director’s statement. “All you need to do is provide space for the music: this captivating creative and emotional enigma then unfolds through the art and life story of a man who, from an early age, reveals he has mastered its innermost workings,” he continued.

The film titled “Nino” is being jointly produced by Italian production houses – Be Water Film, Sugar Play, Adler Entertainment, and I Diavoli. This collaboration also includes RAI Documentari and the Apulia Film Fund for support. Mattia Guerra represents Be Water Film, Filippo Sugar and Elisabetta Biganzoli represent Sugar Play, Marco Colombo represents Adler Entertainment, and Marco Morabito (“Call Me by Your Name”) is involved in the production as well. Adler Entertainment serves as the executive producer on “Nino”, with Be Water Film handling distribution within Italy. No international sales company has been signed up yet.

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2025-04-30 12:18