A Closer Look: Bruno Pischiutta
Q&A with Director/Producer of the feature film THE PROJECT, Bruno Pischiutta
Q: Why is THE PROJECT a unique and ground braking movie?
Bruno Pischiutta: Because it is the first feature film that exposes the horrific abuse of thousands and thousands of children in the United States. On top of this, THE PROJECT is destined to be forever in the history of film for the technical and the artistic ways in which it will be done. Technically, we will use equipment and machines that are at the avant-garde of industry standards. Artistically, in the feature, the actors will use a lot of improvisation – some of the scenes in the movie are purposely not written but scripted instead – and we will make the film together with the viewers. The viewers will not have a passive role; they will participate to the making of the movie.
Entities such as the United Nations and very different filmmakers such as Ted Turner, Ashton Kutcher, Tyler Perry and others are notoriously interested in the phenomenon of child abuse. THE PROJECT is more than a film, it is an artistic ending point of a big dirty secret – the child abuse in the United States – and, probably, the artistic point that – together with the audience’s help – will prompt the ending of this phenomenon.
Q: What is Toronto Pictures’ position on the global stage of the film industry?
BP: It is an important one. Toronto Pictures and Adhara Properties constitute a film studio that is not only American but that targets the entire world. The topics of our films regard different continents: Africa (PUNCTURED HOPE), America (THE PROJECT), Europe (WISTERIA), China (THE SEPIA PORTRAIT), etc.
Our films are shot on different continents, our actors and financiers come from different continents and we are the one studio that fronts very violent and dark topics (genital mutilation, child abuse, prostitution, sexual trafficking, etc.) without using graphic or violent scenes.
In business since 1996, we have witnessed the demise of great companies such as Miramax, Malo Film, Cynar Film, Cannon Group and most recently, Overture. We are not only still standing but we are also, for the first time and at the end of this year, commercially releasing two pictures and a number of DVDs on the international market.
In particular, Toronto Pictures, a publicly traded company with substantial assets and free of debt, is showing its financial viability and its management strength.
Artistically, we have had a memorable success last year with our film PUNCTURED HOPE being nominated by The Political Film Society between the best 11 films of 2009 and in the categories of Best Film Expose and Best Film on Human Rights. This year, THE PROJECT is a very strong contender for the Academy Awards.
