NBCUniversal Takes Global Distribution on Italian Soccer Icon Doc ‘My Name Is Francesco Totti’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItaly’s storied Titanus studio, producers of myriad golden era works from Cinema Italiano, has inked a global distribution deal with pubcaster RAI’s sales unit RAI Com for its entire library of roughly 400 titles.The landmark agreement, besides distribution, entails a collaboration to restore and preserve the Titanus library, which is a treasure trove comprising early works by Italo masters such as Federico Fellini and Francesco Rosi, and Luchino

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian cinemas are set to stay closed over the holidays after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte extended Italy’s soft lockdown until early January. The widely expected move comes as the country contends with a flare up of the pandemic.

Production company BlackBox Multimedia has partnered with Italian producers Leader Produzioni and LatAm’s EO Media Distribution for the TV series adaptation of Luis Sepúlveda’s novel Diary Of A Sentimental Killer. The story follows an unnamed assassin who has been left by his lover the day before he is set to embark on a crucial assignment. Chilean writer Sepúlveda, who died from Covid-19 in April 2020, saw his books sell more than 6 million copies worldwide and be translated into 40 languages.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentLate Chilean author Luis Sepulveda‘s short novel “Diary of a Sentimental Killer,” about a globetrotting hitman with a broken heart, is being developed into a TV series that will be sold by Latin America’s EO Media Distribution, the company that recently handled multi-window distribution of high-profile titles such as “Narcos” and Amazon’s “El Presidente.”London and Rome-based production company BlackBox Multimedia, EO Media and Italy’s Leader Produzioni

Jamie Lang Javier Krause, co-founder of Argentina’s Rispo Films and long one of the country’s key sales agents, has crossed the Atlantic and started Kafilms, a new Swiss production company where he is taking the reins to create new content for international audiences, including two new Italian co-productions which Krause has announced in exclusivity with Variety.Joined by Maurizio and Manuel Tedesco of Italy’s Baires Produzioni, backers of Filmax-sold “Tomorrow’s a New Day” from Simone Spada

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentIn 1968, idealistic Italian engineer Giorgio Rosa founded an independent micro nation on a tiny island he built on a platform supported by steel pylons off the coast of Rimini, Italy, outside Italian territorial waters.

Naman Ramachandran In today’s bulletin, German cinemas remain closed; a Marcus Rashford documentary is set to air on the BBC; Channel 4 commissions comedy; Cineflix sells factual to the Nordics; ViacomCBS hires Lost Art TV; 101 teams with YADC; SPTN nabs “DinoCity”; and TVF sells a miscarriage doc.German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared late on Wednesday that Germany’s partial lockdown would be extended through at least Dec.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentItalian screen legend Franco Nero is having a busy year. “Recon,” the Robert Port-directed World War II thriller in which he stars, opened theatrically on Veteran’s Day in the U.S.

Warner Bros To Sell BBC One Format ‘The Wheel’Warner Bros International Television Production is to represent BBC One’s ambitious new entertainment show The Wheel on the global stage after striking a deal with producer Hungry McBear Media. Hosted by comedian Michael McIntyre, the show revolves around a spinning wheel of celebrity guests who help a contestant win jackpot prizes.

Justin Bieber can literally sing about anything and Alison Brie proved that during an interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Tuesday.

Naman Ramachandran NBCUniversal International’s all-reality, on-demand subscription video-on-demand service Hayu has launched in Germany and Austria.The service is available on Amazon Prime Video Channels via the Prime Video app on mobiles, tablets, living room and web platforms.

Jamie Lang In today’s Global Bulletin, Amazon commits €1 million ($1.18 million) in Italian COVID-19 aid, Fremantle’s Naked hires Natalie Rose, Jay Blades launches Hungry Jay Media and Amazon Prime Video drops a trailer for its first Spanish scripted Original “El Cid.”Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios have announced a €1 million ($1.18 million) commitment to support the Italian entertainment industry through the COVID-19 pandemic.The donation is being made to the emergency COVID-19 fund, Sc