Reflecting on the remarkable journey of Raffaella Leone, I find myself in awe of her relentless pursuit of success and her unwavering commitment to Italian cinema. From humble beginnings with her father, Enzo, at LFG, she has transformed the company into a powerhouse in the industry, collaborating with giants like RAI Cinema’s 01 Distribution and Lionsgate.
The Italian Leone Film Group is elevating the legacy of its founder, renowned spaghetti Western director Sergio Leone, to even greater heights.
35 years on, the Italian company led by Maestro’s children, Raffaella and Andrea in Rome, marks its anniversary as it maintains its leading position as a supplier of U.S. independent products to Italy. The Leone family’s film and TV production branch has seen significant growth recently, with a strong lineup of premium content destined for global markets.
Following our success as the leading distributor in Italy for U.S. independent studios like Lionsgate, STX Entertainment, Voltage, and Black Bear Pictures, Leone Film Group is now concentrating on the challenging endeavor of establishing a production foundation in the international market, as described by Raffaella Leone. The group’s Lotus Production label, now under Raffaella’s direct management, boasts numerous projects at different stages, with upcoming films from directors such as James Gray, Isabel Coixet, and Gabriele Muccino. As they expand their production division, Leone Film Group is actively building strong relationships with a diverse range of production partners, including Mediapro from Spain, Ridley Scott’s Scott Free, Rodrigo Teixeira’s Brazil-based RT Features, and David Bernad, the producer of “The White Lotus”.
As the co-owner and CEO of our company, I’m deeply motivated to collaborate with global firms as a fellow producer, aiming for mutual respect and equality in our work relationships.
Leone’s production growth occurs during a time of chaos in Hollywood due to strikes and mergers. Meanwhile, LFG’s aspirations are being realized amidst market consolidation in Italy. With many competitors being bought out by foreign entities, LFG is now among the rare Italian-owned companies still operating.
As a movie enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for exciting opportunities in the global cinema landscape. Instead of just being an Italian player, my partners Raffaella and Andrea aim to broaden our horizons by partnering or merging with an international company, be it Spanish or even American. This isn’t driven by ambition, but rather by the direction the market is heading and the grand-scale projects we aspire to create.
A look at the LFG production pipeline:
Untitled James Gray project
The movie, titled “Armageddon Time,” is jointly created by LFG in partnership with Teixeira who expressed his joy in a statement: “It’s a privilege to collaborate on a film with the Leone family. My career in the film industry was partly inspired by Sergio Leone’s impact. When I got the chance to co-produce James Gray’s next movie alongside Raffaella and Andrea Leone, it felt like a long-cherished dream coming true.” Further details about this upcoming project are being kept confidential.
Days of Abandonment
Penelope Cruz will appear in the English-language version of Elena Ferrante’s novel “Abandonment,” directed by Isabel Coixet. The screenplay for this film is written by Sarah Treem, a co-creator of “The Affair.” Previously, Cruz and top Spanish actor Benicio del Toro worked together on the 2008 drama “Elegy,” which was an adaptation of Philip Roth’s novella “The Dying Animal,” telling the story of an affair between a professor (portrayed by Ben Kingsley) and his student (Cruz). This upcoming project will reunite Cruz and del Toro following their collaboration on another US-set film.
Deep Red remake
LFG is collaborating with “White Lotus” producer Bernard on a modern reinterpretation of Dario Argento’s 1975 chilling horror masterpiece.
Siracusa
As a movie enthusiast, I’m excited to share that renowned filmmaker Gabriele Muccino, known for the captivating “The Pursuit of Happyness” starring Will Smith, is set to direct the English adaptation of Delia Ephron’s novel, “Siracusa.” This intriguing tale revolves around four individuals – two couples and a child – who embark on a sun-soaked vacation along the Ionian Sea in Sicily. However, what starts as a serene getaway transforms into a suspenseful saga, according to insider reports. Interestingly, Muccino’s upcoming romantic thriller, “Here Now,” set in Sicily and starring Elena Kampouris, who recently graced our screens in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” is slated for release in Italy this October, also produced by LFG.
Scandalo
Paolo Genovese (“Perfect Strangers”) will be at the helm of a film adaptation, delving into the love triangle that entangled director Ingrid Bergman, renowned neo-realist Roberto Rossellini, and actress Anna Magnani. This captivating tale is derived from the book “Gli amanti del vulcano” (“The Volcano Lovers”) by Italian journalist Marcello Sorgi. The screenplay for this project has been penned by Francesco Piccolo, a collaborator on “My Brilliant Friend,” and Genovese himself.
Joan of Arc project
In collaboration, LFG and Scott Free are working on a fresh perspective for a renowned French figure. The project is based on a chapter from the top-selling book by Alessandro Barbero, an Italian historian, who portrays Joan as a woman who commanded an army disguised as a man and gave her life in defiance of societal norms during that era.
Love Me, Love Me
Roger Kumble, renowned American director from “Cruel Intentions,” will helm the debut adaptation of the blockbuster trilogy of novels by Stefania S., titled “Love Me, Love Me.” This story revolves around 16-year-old June, who finds herself in a complicated love triangle with two close friends, and as she navigates this tangled web, she uncovers long-buried secrets. Lotus is teaming up with Amazon MGM Studios and Wattpad Webtoon Studios to produce the film, with Prime Video handling its global distribution.
Leone Film Group’s significance lies in audience interaction and fan base, which is essential for our production house, acknowledges Aron Levitz, president of Wattpad Webtoon Studios. He expresses his joy over collaborating with such a renowned studio and looks forward to creating more content together with Leone Film Group and the gifted team at Lotus Production.
The Leone Film Group milestones:
1989
In a later year, filmmaker Sergio Leone establishes a company with the purpose of producing his long-awaited project titled “Leningrad.” Unfortunately, Leone passed away that same year. Subsequently, over the following years, two out of his three children, Raffaella and Andrea, venture into business under the name Leone Film Group. They gained experience by handling the distribution rights for their father’s western films, including “Once Upon a Time in the West” and “Duck, You Sucker!”
2001
For the past ten years, Raffaella and Andrea have been building ties with American independents and providing content to a majority of Italian television stations, growing an impressive collection of films in the process. Now, they are venturing into the realm of cinema, partnering with Steven Soderbergh on “Traffic.” Furthermore, they are expanding their market operations beyond television to other platforms such as pay TV and home video.
2009
LFG moves into local production with youth comedy “Generazione 1,000 Euro.”
2012
LFG signs its first multi-year output deal for theatrical with DreamWorks (Amblin/Storyteller).
2013
Shingle signs a long-term agreement for content delivery with Summit Entertainment, which also includes Lionsgate. Subsequently, contracts with FilmNation and additional American partners are established.
Commence strong partnership with RAI Cinema’s Distribution Unit. Initial significant releases include “Rush” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”
As a dedicated cinephile, I’m eagerly awaiting the floatation of a company that will take place on December 19th. The iconic melodies of Ennio Morricone’s score from “Once Upon a Time in the West” will fill the Milan Stock Exchange as the curtain lifts on this exciting new venture.
2014
LFG acquires production company Lotus.
2015
Lionsgate has appointed LFG as the executive producer for “John Wick 2,” marking the beginning of several major US projects that Lionsgate has planned to produce in Italy.
2016
Lotus debuts its inaugural TV series titled “Immaturi,” and is now focusing on creating international television programs. Their latest TV productions include “The Lions of Sicily” (2023) for Disney+, along with an upcoming show called “Uonderbois.” This latter series, also slated for Disney+, follows a group of children navigating the city’s underworld, guided by a character reminiscent of Robin Hood.
2018
As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that the family drama “Wonder,” produced by Lionsgate, has achieved its highest European earnings in Italy with an impressive $13.8 million. Moreover, Gabriele Muccino’s heartwarming ensemble dramedy “A Casa Tutti Bene” (“There Is No Place Like Home”) is currently Italy’s most successful locally-produced film. What a delightful sight it is to witness such captivating cinematic success!
2019
LFG sees success in Italy with “Mia and the White Lion,” “Vice,” “Green Book” and “After.”
Shingle inks exclusive first-window 30-month deal with Amazon. Sky has second window.
2020
As a movie critic, I was looking forward to Muccino’s latest masterpiece, “The Best Years” (Gli Anni Più Belli), but unfortunately, its triumphant debut in theaters was abruptly halted due to the unforeseen impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
As a film enthusiast who has followed Bella Thorne’s career since her Disney Channel days, I must say that I was thoroughly impressed with her latest release, “Time Is Up.” Having attended numerous movie premieres and screenings, I can confidently assert that this limited-event release stood out as the most captivating and memorable cinematic experience of the year for me in Italian cinemas.
The partnership with Amazon was prolonged due to exceptional performance of our product distributed by LFG on the Prime Video platform, particularly the “After” movie series. As stated by “After’s” producer Nicolas Chartier, CEO of Voltage Pictures, they are the epitome of distribution excellence. Moreover, he considers Amazon as his favorite director! (In this sentence, I replaced ‘they’ with ‘Amazon’, and ‘their father’ with ‘Amazon, as my favorite director’)
The collaboration between Prime Video is broadening as they introduce a specially selected “Once Upon a Time” channel by Leone, featuring the best Italian movies from LFG’s collection.
2022
Raffaella Leone takes the reins at Lotus.
2023
11 films by LFG are launched in cinemas, with four of these being self-produced. Among them is “Felicità” (“Happiness”), starring Micaela Ramazzotti, which debuts at the Venice Film Festival.
2024
Italian billionaire Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio buys a 13.78% of LFG through his LMDV Capital, “driven by a desire to help the group stay in Italian hands and grow,” says Raffaella Leone.
Raffaella Leone receives the Cavaliere del Lavoro (Order of Merit for Labour) medal, honoring her significant achievements as a successful entrepreneur in Italy.
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2024-08-24 21:48