Gabriele Salvatores Presents “Napoli – New York“: A Story of Childhood Dreams and Migration

Oscar-winning director Gabriele Salvatores, known for the film “Mediterraneo,” is back at work on a new project titled “Napoli – New York.” This film is a historical drama about migration, based on a story created by the famous Federico Fellini.

The story, co-authored by Tullio Pinelli, tells of two Neapolitan children who decide to embark on a journey to New York in search of a better life, escaping from postwar poverty in Italy. Pierfrancesco Favino, one of Italy’s leading actors, plays the role of the chief officer of the ship on which the children, Carmine and Celestina, secretly board in the port of Naples, becoming illegal passengers. Their goal is to reach the U.S., where they dream of reuniting with Celestina’s sister, who emigrated to New York two years earlier. The roles of the children are played by newcomers Dea Lanzaro and Antonio Guerra.

The cast of “Napoli – New York” also includes Neapolitan actors such as Anna Ammirati and Anna Lucia Pierro, as well as well-known performers like Omar Benson Miller, Tomas Arana, and Antonio Catania in smaller roles.

Gabriele Salvatores is renowned for his films focused on children; his works include “I Am Not Scared,” based on a novel about a kidnapped child, as well as unconventional superhero films “Invisible Boy” and its sequel. His recent projects include “All My Crazy Love,” which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, and “Casanova’s Return.”

The plot of “Napoli – New York” was written by Fellini and Pinelli in the mid-1940s when Fellini was just starting his career in Rome. After the manuscript was found in Pinelli’s archives in 2006 and published in Italy, adaptation rights were acquired by producers Isabella Cocuzza and Arturo Paglia. The film is produced by Paco Cinematografica with support from RAI Cinema and assistance from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Film Commission.