Final development

Italiangirl – The story of Saman Abbas

Synopsis:

Saman, an 18-year-old Pakistani girl, is killed because she refuses a forced marriage arranged by her family. And it isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Many young women like her have met the same fate. The media-worthy case shakes up the small town of Novellara, in Northern Italy, which had previously set the standard for the successful integration of foreign communities in Italy. Her story illustrates the struggle Pakistani girls face when longing for freedom among silence, fear, and generational conflict. Amina, a young Pakistani girl living in the same area, also endure this struggle, and only want one thing: to be free.

Producer: Luca Bedini
Directors:
Gabriele Veronesi, Luca Bedini
Nation: Italy
Estimated length: 2 x 52 minutes
Screenplay: Gabriele Veronesi, Luca Bedini
Editing: Leonardo Moschetta
Photography: Marco Brandoli
Production: Taiga
Budget forecast: 150.000 €
Funding confirmed: 60.000 €
Missing resources: 90.000 €
Objective: CO-PRODUCTION, PRE-SALES
Shooting start: March 1st, 2023
Planned end of shooting: December 31th, 2023

Director’s notes:

This film must not only tell the story of a tragedy, but it must also give a voice to those who have gained freedom – or those who are still trying to be free. Starting from the news stories, we want to talk about forced marriages, honor, oppression, and in general, about denied freedoms. We want to pass on the message that someone can only make decisions freely about their own life when they are equipped with awareness and independence.

Production notes:

At the moment, we have well-established contacts with the main protagonists of the case, we are following the court proceedings even if our film is unrelated to them. We are considering extending the narrative beyond national borders, for example where Pakistani communities are very present and have greater possibilities than in Italy (e.g. in the United Kingdom). We are looking for production partners in this sense.

DIRECTORS BIOGRAPHY

Gabriele Veronesi (1985)
Director, producer, and owner of Taiga, an Italian company that produces television documentaries, and Pongofilms, a company specializing in corporate films. His works include Il Mostro di Modena (Crime+Investigation), AEmilia (History) and Rosignano Solvay – La fabbrica che si
fece giardino.

Luca Bedini (1981)
Director, producer, and owner of Taiga and Pongofilms. His works include AIDS – La nostra battaglia (History) and Jihad summer camp, shown at international festivals.

PRODUCTION Taiga | PRODUCER Luca Bedini | CONTACTS gabriele.veronesi@taigafilms.it luca.bedini@taigafilms.it

Taiga is a Modena-based company that has existed since 2012 and operates in the television documentary sector. The partners are Gabriele Veronesi, Luca Bedini and Marco Brandoli. Their works have aired on Crime+Investigation, History Channel, and through cinema festivals.

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