Oscar-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore’s documentary film “Brunello: A Gracious Visionary,” about Italian fashion designer Brunello Cucinelli, known as the “King of Cashmere,” has been acquired by BlueFox Entertainment for North American distribution. The US premiere is scheduled for April 14th in New York.
“Brunello: The Elegant Visionary” chronicles Cucinelli’s rise from a farmer’s son to creative director and executive chairman of a global luxury lifestyle brand with a market capitalization of more than $7.8 billion. This elegant film stars “Love and Gelato” star Saul Nanni as a young Cucinelli and features music by Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani (“Life is Beautiful”).
“The Gracious Visionary” weaves documentary and reenactment elements to tell the story of how his thinking was shaped by his philosophical studies, playing cards, and the generosity of others.
Mr. Cucinelli was born in 1953 in the ancient Umbrian village of Castel Rigone and founded his company in 1978, succeeding by dyeing cashmere in what he called “pop colors” at a time when colored cashmere for women did not exist. The documentary film, shot in Umbria, depicts key moments in his career, demonstrating his passion for Italian craftsmanship and his commitment to a concept he calls “humanitarian capitalism”, where every stitch in the clothes his company makes is made in Italy, mostly in his hometown. Mr. Cucinelli also ensures that factory workers are paid a fair wage and feel like family. He completely renovated the Italian village of Solomeo, where the company’s headquarters are located.
In an interview with Variety, Cucinelli, who self-financed most of the $17 million docu-film, said he wanted to share his life story while he was still here to see the ripple effect it would have. “These documentaries are made after a person has passed away. Some of the documentaries I’ve seen are of people I know, but I don’t really like them,” Cucinelli said. “They are not as profound as human values.”
This docufilm is produced by Brunello Cucinelli SpA and MasiFilm in collaboration with RAI Cinema.
“The Gracious Visionary” was released in Italy on December 9th through RAI Cinema’s 01 distribution and did well at the box office, grossing over $1 million during its limited seven-day run. Ahead of the Italian release of The Gracious Visionary, a star-studded gala was held at Rome’s Cinecittà film studio, bringing together some of the biggest names in film, including Jessica Chastain, Jonathan Bailey, Ava DuVernay, Jeff Goldblum, Chris Pine, Edgar Ramirez and Kyle MacLachlan.
It will be interesting to see the star power on display on the red carpet for the US premiere of Brunello: The Gracious Visionary in New York on April 14th. It will then be released in more than 100 screens across North America later that spring.
“We are thrilled to partner with BlueFox Entertainment for the North American release of Brunello: The Gracious Visionary,” said Edoardo Bussi, founder and CEO of Twenty Nine Palms Entertainment, which is handling sales for the film. Bussi added that as a distributor, “Blue Fox stood out for its unique ability to bridge the gap between quality film storytelling and a broad commercial audience.”
It added: “Their expertise in managing carefully timed theatrical windows and their deep understanding of the North American market make them the perfect choice to bring Giuseppe Tornatore’s masterful vision of the life of Brunello Cucinelli to America.”
Bussi, who soft-launched “Brunello: The Elegant Visionary” in Toronto, plans to sell the docu-film in earnest at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.
“We are honored to partner with the filmmakers of ‘Brunello: Elegant Visionary’ to bring this remarkable work to audiences across North America,” said Lisa Gutberet and David Hudakok of Blue Fox Entertainment. “The film transcends the traditional documentary format and offers a cinematic exploration of humanism, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty — values at the heart of cultural and creative excellence.”
BlueFox Entertainment’s recent U.S. releases include the German animated film “Tahiti: Beyond the Desert,” the Kevin Hart-produced sci-fi adventure “Xeno,” and the Sylvester Stallone-produced survival drama “Lost on a Mountain in Main.”
movie italy
