Production Begins on Alejandro Monteverde’s ‘The Untitled Cabrini Film’
Cristiana Dell’Anna, John Lithgow, David Morse & Rolando Villazon Star in the Powerful True Story of an Unknown American Legend, Frances Xavier Cabrini
Jonathan Sanger & Leo Severino Are Producing for Francesca Films
BUFFALO, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Principal photography is underway on TIFF’s “People’s Choice Award” winning director Alejandro Monteverde’s The Untitled Cabrini Film in Buffalo, NY. Production will conclude in Rome, Italy in the early Fall.
The Untitled Cabrini Film, based on a story by Alejandro Monteverde (Sound of Freedom, Bella) and Rod Barr, with a screenplay by Rod Barr (Little Boy, Sound of Freedom). The project is the brainchild of the late Mary Louise Sullivan, MSC, who asked her dear friend, Philadelphia businessman Eustace Wolfington, to do a movie about Francesca Cabrini. Sullivan became the academic dean at Cabrini College in 1971. After 10 years as president of the Cabrini College she revised her doctorate dissertation topic as a look at the life and impact of Mother Cabrini. The work resulted in a book about the saint called “Mother Cabrini – Italian Immigrant of the Century,” published in 1992.
Mr. Wolfington’s passion for Francesca Cabrini’s story began over 60 years ago. “As a pioneer of human rights long before today, her story will be an inspiration to today’s pioneers of human rights, which makes her story and unprecedented accomplishments as relevant today as ever.”
Co-producer and entrepreneur, Jeff Sica has a talent for connecting the right people with the right opportunity for great synergy and successful outcomes. It was during a meeting with Eustace Wolfington where Mr. Wolfington expressed his intense desire to tell the story of Francesca Cabrini. Sica, as the father of twin daughters entering the business world, strives to provide them with inspirational role models. He completely embraced the intention of bringing this inspirational story to the screen. Given Jeff’s history with producer Jonathan Sanger and knowing the kinds of movies and messages that he excels at conveying, he told Eustace there could be no better person to produce this movie than Jonathan.
The film stars Cristiana Dell’Anna (Gomorrah, Mr. Happiness), Montserrat Espada le (Crescendo, Little Boy), Romana Maggiora Vergano (Gli Anni Belli, lmaturi), David Morse (The Green Mile, The Hurt Locker), Patch Darragh (Succession, Boardwalk Empire), John Lithgow (The Crown, Bombshell), Jeremy Bobb (The Outside, Russian Doll, Virginia Bocelli (Unici, Andrea Bocello: Believe in Christmas), Andrew Polk (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Billions, House of Cards), Giampiero Judica (All The Money In The World, Boardwalk Empire) and Rolando Villazon (Mozart in Prague: Rolando Villaz6n on Don Giovanni, La Bohemme, La Traviata).
Joining Monteverde behind the camera are Academy Award and BAFTA Award-winning producer Jonathan Sanger (Marshall, The Elephant Man) and producer Leo Severino (Bella, Sound of Freedom), associate producer Michael “MJ” Jones (Marshall, D Is for Detroit), production designer Carlos Lagunas Hernar (Colombiana, Belzebuth), director of photography Gorka Gomez Andreu (House of Others, Seagull), costume designer Alisha Silverstein (Stargirl, Adam Ruins Everything), music supervisor Mary Ramos (Marshall, The Hateful Eight), composer Gene Back (Cowboys, Holler), second unit director Pepe Portillo (Little Boy, This Is the Year), editor Brian Scofield (Suicide Squad, The Tree of Life), sound mixer Paul Pouthier (Uncle Frank, Between Two Ferns), special effects coordinator Fred Kraemer (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, The Forgotten), stunt coordinator Scott Burik (In the Heights, The Trial of the Chicago 7),visual effects supervisor Brian Battles (Star Trek Beyond, The Irishman) and UPM/line producer Lukas Behnken (American Skin, Sound of Freedom).
The film tells the story of Francesca Cabrini, one of the greatest entrepreneurs of the 19th Century. She began with nothing and created the largest multinational charitable empire the world had ever known. Her accomplishments equaled the likes of Vanderbilt and Rockefeller. Remarkably, Cabrini accomplished all of this and just happened to be a woman, an Italian immigrant, and a nun without a penny to her name.
The Untitled Cabrini Film charts the meteoric rise of an astonishing and audacious woman who – through her relentless perseverance and business skill – overcame the sexism and virulent anti-Italian bigotry of 19th century America, to build schools, orphanages and hospitals that transformed the lives of immigrants worldwide.
The film is a gripping, inspirational story about one of the great unknown figures of American history, and a powerful exploration of two of today’s biggest issues: immigration and the empowerment of women. Cabrini speaks to our time – a time that more than ever needs the wisdom and example of this unstoppable woman who triumphed magnificently against all odds.
“As an immigrant myself, I am honored to be able to shine a light on the astonishing story of a true warrior for social justice who transformed the lives of immigrants worldwide. Cabrini was a pioneer of women’s empowerment, making her story as relevant today as in the 1890’s. This picture – like Cabrini herself – is surprising, courageous, gritty… and deeply inspirational,” said director Alejandro Monteverde.
Producer Jonathan Sanger adds: “In a time when the achievements of women in every sphere of life have inspired a new generation, it is fascinating to contemplate the work of Francesca Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who came to New York in 1889. She would fit perfectly as a leader in today’s world.”
Construction began in April on the massive sets that recreate Five Points, a 19th Century neighborhood in Lower Manhattan which was especially cold, unwelcoming, and impoverished; an area where immigrants got their first impression of the land that promised to offer new hope and fulfilled promises. That construction includes a dilapidated orphanage, an Italian hospital, a brothel, a main street, slum dwellings, and many other edifices that look as if they came right from the pages of Jacob Riis’ “How the Other Half Lives.”
Filming is planned to take place on many Buffalo and neighboring locations to double for other iconic New York City sites circa 1890 including the West Park neighborhood north of Manhattan and what is now the posh Upper East Side, before completing principal photography in Rome, Italy in the early Fall.
The Untitled Cabrini Film is a Francesca Films production.
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