Sartaj Singh
James Franco has headed to Italy for Daniele Barbiero’s latest feature! The Cinemaholic has learned that the actor has joined the cast of the drama film ‘Squali.’ The project’s filming has been underway in Veneto and Lazio, Italy, since July 8. Barbiero is directing the movie with a screenplay penned by Mauro Graiani, based on the novel of the same name by Giacomo Mazzariol. In addition to Franco, the leading cast members include Lorenzo Zurzolo, Francesco Centorame, Ginevra Francesconi, Francesco Gheghi, Greta Fernàndez, Federica Baù, and Gabriele Rollo.
The coming-of-age story follows Max (Zurzolo), a 19-year-old boy who has to make a series of life-changing decisions in the most important summer of his life. Hailing from the Veneto province, Max is preparing to go on a long-awaited vacation with his friends while pondering what the future holds for him. One evening, he receives an email from Robert Price (Franco), the founder of a startup incubator in Rome. Price has noticed and wants to develop the app Max created to help his peers choose what to do in their future, starting from the faculty. The founder calls the entrepreneurial teen to the capital and explains his wish to be a part of the app.
As the narrative progresses, Max finds himself leaving his carefree youth behind as he is thrust into the adult world of money, fame, and social status, with sharks lurking in the waters around him. At the same time, his lifelong group of friends, including Filippo (Centorame) and his teenage love Anna (Francesconi), begin enjoying their holidays while still dealing with the insecurities of future prospects that seem almost nostalgic to Max now. He must face the dilemma of choosing between the career opportunity of a lifetime and possibly the last trip with all his closest friends together.
Franco is an acclaimed actor who has taken to directing and starring in relatively exploratory productions in recent years. He starred in and directed ‘The Deuce,’ a TV series set in 1970s New York that follows characters involved in the city’s gritty prostitution business as the police begin cracking down on their activities. He also helmed and appeared in ‘Zeroville,’ a quirky comedy about an excommunicated seminarian – with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift tattooed on his head – who arrives in Los Angeles on the same day of the Charles Manson murders.
Franco also directed ‘The Pretenders,’ acting out Maxwell in the love triangle drama transporting us to late 1970s New York. The actor is slated to appear in upcoming projects such as ‘Kill the Czar,’ ‘Largo Winch 3,’ and Demian Lichtenstein’s ‘The Razor’s Edge.’ On the other hand, Zurzolo, the main lead, is known for playing Daniele in Prime Video’s drama series ‘Prisma’ and Vito in the Academy Award-nominated ‘EO.’
The Veneto and Lazio regions of Italy have housed the production of notable movies and shows like Netflix’s ‘Ripley,’ ‘365 Days,’ ‘The Tearsmith,’ ‘The Beautiful Game,’ and ‘Supersex.’ ‘Squali’ will also likely be shot in Spain, where Max’s friends go on vacation. The country has seen the filming of similar projects such as ‘Me Before You,’ ‘Asteroid City,’ ‘Through My Window,’ and ‘See You on Venus.’
Read More: Ashley Walters to Make Feature Directorial Debut With ‘Hard Boiled’
