New Delhi: While the whole world is fighting against the current dreadful situation Covid-19, there is a sign of hope seen in the global film industry. Internationally acclaimed film producer & promoter, Jitendra Mishra from Odisha, India, has collaborated with Award Winning Italian Director, Producer, Ulisse Lendaro, to make a film titled “Human OAK” during the ongoing Pandemic. The 15-minute short film was entirely shot in Italy during the Covid-19 lockdown in March – April 2020 in the Vicenza’s downtown and the countryside. The only international co-production from India that has happened completely during the Covid-19 lockdown was written & directed by Ulisse Lendaro who is known for his critically aclaimed feature film “Imperfect Age”. The film features leading Italian actress & former Miss Italy Anna Valle. Made to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “Ode to the West Wind”; HUMAN O.A.K. is the story of a new type of humanity.
“When Ulisse Lendaro approached me with his idea, I found it very interesting as he is a very sensible filmmaker at the same time the story of the film has a lot of positivity and its has a lot of connection to India. It was a great opportunity to create a positive environment in the global film industry during this dreadful situation and inspired me to co-produce the movie with him”, shared Film Producer & promoter, Jitendra Mishra. “The movie will be showcased at a few leading International festivals before releasing on renowned OTT Platforms in India soon”, he further added.
“Human O.A.K. was thought and realized in the lock down period. If there had not been the Covid-19 I would never have thought and shot it. I wanted to start from a poem that was possibly related to a pandemic. I read “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, all his biography and his connections with India, with Mahatma Gandhi & Rabindranath Tagore. So, I immediately felt the strong need to talk about this idea with my friend and well-known producer Jitendra Mishra. We shared the same mindset & approach toward world cinema”, shared Director Ulisse Lendaro. “Jitendra gave me a lot of good advice about the mood of the film. It was an exchange, a continuous flow of energy and ideas, which led to making of Human O.A.K.”, he further added.
Human O.A.K was shot entirely in Italy in remote outdoors locations outside the city, except for a few montages. The Pluri-award-winning and talented Massimo Cantini Parrini has designed the costume for the movie. Post-production of the movie has been done in Roma by Lightcut film srl.
This is a story of a child who, in the time of a sunset, becomes a girl, forced to quickly leave behind the life she had, before everything changed, the memory of her mother with whom she used to play and their poems that now sound like an omen. In an abstract, melancholic present, drenched in nature, this little girl continues her journey until she reaches a large oak tree. There, among books hung to mature, she meets another child, a little boy. Maybe they already knew each other. Among visions of a recent past, memories and nature, life is renewed for all humanity.
Ulisse Lendaro is an Italian producer and director, born in Vicenza and living in Rome.
After being awarded as an actor with a special mention from the theater critics at Premio Hystrio in 2004 and after his acting performances in many theater productions, Lendaro produced and is cast as lead actor in the horror “Medley – Brandelli di scuola”, by Gionata Zarantonello, a cult movie in the US.In 2017. He directed the movie “Imperfect Age”, that premiers at the Festival del Cinema di Roma with great success with the public and the critics.
Jitendra Mishra is one of the few Indian film producers & promoters who have been able to create a benchmark in ‘Alternative method of Film Production, Distribution & Promotion’ at international level. Committed towards meaningful cinema, Jitendra has already been associated with the production, distribution and promotion of more than 100 films in different categories in various capacities. His recent feature film production ‘The Last Color’ directed by Michelin Starred Chef Vikas Khanna, starring Neena Gupta has already been selected in more than 50 international film festivals and received more than 15 different awards as of now. Awarded with several prestigious awards, he has also been selected International professional Jury for more than 25 leading international film festivals as of now.
Former Miss Italia Anna Valle, born in Rome, is an Italian ex model and actress. After winning Miss Italia, Anna studies acting, becoming one of the most renowned Italian tv series actress of the years 2000. She came to prominence as an actress in 1999, as lead of the tv show “Commesse”, directed by Giorgio Capitani, a huge success. Amongst her most important roles are princess Soraya in “Soraya” by Ludovico Gasparini, Cleopatra with Peter O’Toole and Charlotte Rampling in “Imperium: Augusto”.
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