Skip to main content

Interview: Alessandro Masi - A Lucano in Hollywood

During my adventures in finding interesting subjects for my "Basilicata: Terra di Cinema" series, I'm often amazed at the reach of filmmakers from Lucania. They travel the world to make and present their films, follow their dreams and experience different cultures. They learn the language and assimilate quickly, embracing the differences in lifestyle, work and even cuisine.

Film Distributor Alessandro Masi is no different. Born and raised in Potenza, he is blazing his way through America following his passions of cinema, marketing, and business. Well-schooled in the entertainment industry, Masi has also worked as a producer. So he is familiar with being on both sides of the coin. Curious about this Lucano in America, I asked him a few questions about his American adventure and his thoughts on the highly acclaimed Italian Oscar entry, Gianfranco Rosi's documentary "Fire at Sea".

When did you move to the United States?
This is my third long trip to the United States. I came in 2008 for the first time as an exchange student from Bocconi University to NYU in New York for one month, and SMU in Dallas for one semester. Then I was in New York City again for six more months for an internship in television production at Zodiak Media. After beginning my career as Digital Strategist at Italia Brand Group, a top independent Italian marketing agency, I came to the U.S. for the second time. I was in San Francisco and Boston for three months as part of my MBA program - which began in London - at Hult International Business School, and New York again for three more months for training at the Investment Banking Institute. I moved to London to work as Investment Advisor, specialized in media & entertainment and technology at TMT Advisors. Then I moved back to Rome to lead the business development function and bring to profitability one of the very first VOD platforms in Europe, named OwnAir. I also founded my startup FlexyMovies, aimed at innovation in the entertainment industry, along with development and implementation of sales, distribution, and cutting-edge marketing strategies. I decided then that I wanted to move to Los Angeles, the world capital of entertainment, to be at the core of content production and worldwide distribution. I moved to Los Angeles in January 2015 and I have been here since.

What has the transition been like for you?
The transition has been easy because I had already been in the United States. I speak English fluently and I also speak Spanish, which is very important in Los Angeles. I love the American cultural melting pot and the opportunities that this incredible country is able to offer to those that are willing to work hard.

Tell me about your work..
I am an international film/television sales & distribution professional and a producer. I master any business and creative aspect of the entertainment industry, particularly market-driven film and television production, financing and marketing. I can develop and implement complex strategies. I am good with numbers as well as with people, creative as well as attentive to details. Having a background in digital and startups, I can figure out cutting-edge ways to innovate and foster the entertainment industry. I am a deal-maker, a passionate go-getter and a flexible team-player with a strong work ethic.

What are some of your recent projects?
I have recently worked for the company - Sierra / Affinity - who financed and distributed internationally Captain Fantastic. At the latest AFM, I worked on the buying side, helped distributors - particularly from Italy - scouting great content and projects for their territories. One movie that I facilitated brokering was On The Milky Road by Kusturica with Monica Bellucci. At the moment, I am the producer for a cross-platform sci-fi concept that we are developing as a feature and series starting from a short that we will be using as proof-of-concept. It's called Phenomenon. It's in the vein of Stranger Things. It's about a kid who tries to reconnect through a supernatural world to his lost father who disappeared during the Vietnam War. It will premiere theatrically in L.A. on December 2.

Masi with filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi
What are your thoughts on Italy’s Oscar entry, Gianfranco Rosi’s Fire at Sea?
Regardless of the actual chances to win - which by the way should never influence the decision - documentaries are cinema to all intents and purposes. It's an extraordinary piece of filmmaking. It's incredible that is non-scripted. Most importantly, it is a unique chance to showcase an artistic and prominent point-of-view on the tragedy of refugees to all who seem to ignore it. I totally endorse it. 

How do you manage to stay connected to your Lucani origins?
I have many Italian friends here in Los Angeles, including some from Basilicata. This place is full of people chasing dreams and passion, that is why I like it so much. I am a frequent attendee of the Italian Cultural Institute, especially for movie screenings and showcases of Italian cinema. I go to Italian restaurants sometimes. Most of all, I have close relatives in the United States, precisely in Worcester, Massachusetts, so I visit them every once in a while, especially during the holidays, and they also visit me here in Los Angeles. They are my second cousins, as my great uncle emigrated to the States in the '60s. His name was Giambattista Sarli and his name is still present in the register at Ellis Island. He and his wife Assunta had seven children.. Fun fact: the same number as my mother's brothers and sisters, and they also look alike. The first time I saw them, it was incredible. I was the first in my family to reconnect with them from Italy after more than 30 years. As far as staying connected with Lucani origins, I try to stay in touch - besides friends and family - with professionals from Basilicata, give them professional advice on how to crack Hollywood, and I also had the opportunity to meet Francis Ford Coppola recently and briefly talk about the great beauty of our land, which he also loves.

You can watch Masi's Italian Golden Globe winning documentary "Suicide Italy" via the website Own Air. Masi worked with the company also as a producer and distributor of original documentaries on social issues. "Suicide Italy" describes the Italian recession in its cruel evolution from the point-of-view of the younger generations - embodied within the actress Eugenia Costantini - forced to come to terms with the seriousness of the Italian recession. The film features a cameo by the late Dario Fo, the actor-playwright, intellectual, activist for the working class, and recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Click here to watch the trailer for "Suicide Italy" 

Click here to watch the film  

With America in his heart and Lucania in his soul, Alessandro Masi is well on his way to pursuing his cinematic dreams. I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot more from him. We'll keep you posted on his future projects.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Conversation with Sergio Castellitto

Sergio Castellitto has made a profound impact on world cinema, both in front of and behind the camera. Born in Rome in 1953, Castellitto graduated from film school in 1978 and credits American cinema with pushing him toward a career in acting. His work has garnered numerous accolades, largely due to his immersive, original approach to projects in film, television and theatre. Castellitto is fluent in French and English, which has contributed mightily to his international stardom. But it's the actor's trademark brown eyes and charming everyman qualities that have lent his various characters -- even the ones that are rough around the edges -- an air of dignity that other actors might not have achieved. Sergio Castellitto and Margaret Mazzantini, 2005 Films such as "Paura e Amore," "L'uomo delle stelle," "Caterina va in città," and "Bella Martha" heralded Castellitto as a versatile artist with far-reaching abilities. But it ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alessandro Gassmann: Born to Act

Alessandro Gassmannin his directorial debut "Razzabastarda" Alessandro Gassmann is the son of the iconic Italian actor/director Vittorio Gassman and French actress Juliette Mayniel. He was born in 1965 and grew up around cinema royalty.  He made his cinema debut in 1982 at the age of 17 in his father's autobiographical film, "Di padre in figlio." He went on to study his craft under his father's direction at the Theatre Workshop of Florence.  Vittorio Gassman was very active in theater and seemed just as comfortable on stage as he did in front of the camera. Known for his powerful interpretations of Dante's "Inferno" and "Paradiso," it is no surprise that he nurtured his son's acting aspirations on stage before he launched his career in television and film. One of Gassmann's strong qualities, which he undoubtedly inherited from his father is his incredible range and ease in going from genre to genre. He can play ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Interview: Cristina Scabbia of Italian Heavy Metal Band- Lacuna Coil

Photo by Jeremy Saffer ( http://store.jeremysaffer.com/collections/tenthirtyoneinc ) Lacuna Coil is a heavy metal band whose unique sound and creative music videos have catapulted them to international stardom. The band consists of Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro on vocals, Marco Coti Zelati on bass, Cristiano Migliore and Marco 'Maus' Biazzi on guitars and Cristiano 'CriZ' Mozzati on drums.      All members hail from Milan and bring to the table their own signature talent. A few years ago, the internet buzz about Lacuna Coil's music videos prompted me to check them out on YouTube. I've been hooked ever since. Their videos are creative vignettes shot all over the world, directed by cutting edge filmmakers in Europe and the United States.   Although Lacuna coil is considered a heavy metal band, the unique melodies in their songs are rarely found in traditional heavy metal.   The range of the band is also something you rarely see in this genre of mus...
Post a Comment
Read more

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait  “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann.  Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ettore Scola explores enduring friendships and lost ideals in 'C’eravamo tanto amati'

A scene from "C'eravamo tanti amati" Mixing both tragedy and humor, Ettore Scola ’s 1974 film “C’eravamo tanto amati” (“We All Loved Each Other So Much”) follows 30 years in the lives of three men and the woman they each adore. By examining how his generation changed after the war, Scola makes a film that reflects its era. Scola explores the moral, political and emotional evolution of Italy’s postwar generation and, in doing so, creates a film that is a chronicle of its time and a love letter to cinema. The story begins in the aftermath of World War II. Three friends — Antonio ( Nino Manfredi ), Gianni (Vittorio Gassman) and Nicola (Stefano Satta Flores) — emerge from the Italian Resistance with a shared dream of justice, equality and social renewal. They are united by their hope that the sacrifices of war will lead to a better world. But the decades that follow prove to be challenging as Italy undergoes massive social changes, from the postwar economic boom to the politi...
Post a Comment
Read more