Paolo Sorrentino to direct a film about Silvio Berlusconi. The Academy Award-winning Great Beauty and Youth director’s next project, titled Loro, is a drama about the controversial former Italian prime minister.
The name Loro, which is Italian for “them”, is meant perhaps tongue-in-cheekily, as it also sounds like “L’oro”, or “gold”. Whether this means that the film will take a cynically-humorous view towards its subjects or simply contain light elements in it is unknown at this point.
In addition to directing the production, Sorrentino is set to write the screenplay, which could be completed as early as the summer of 2017:
“Loro” will follow Sorrentino’s recently completed 10-part English-language TV series “The Young Pope,” starring Jude Law, which premiered positively Saturday at the 73rd Venice Film Festival.
The prolific director has already made several features involving powerful men who are lonely at the top, including “Il Divo,” about Giulio Andreotti, Italy’s late former seven-time premier, who was a symbol of postwar Italy.
Berlusconi, who turns 80 this month, is believed to be preparing to exit Italy’s political arena after more than two decades in the spotlight during which he served four times as prime minister and defined an era in the country’s life. He had open heart surgery in July and in August sold his A.C. Milan soccer team, a symbol of his success, to a Chinese consortium.
“Loro” is expected to be a depiction of Berlusconi’s world, but not a scathing sterile criticism.
Leave your thoughts on Paolo Sorrentino being ready to direct a movie focusing on the activities of the controversial Silvio Berlusconi and his inner circle (via Variety) in the comments section below. For more Loro photos, videos, and information, visit our Loro Page, and consider subscribing to us by Email, “following” us on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or “liking” us on Facebook for quick updates. No official release date has been offered for Loro yet.