PRODUCTION NOTES
Rating: R
Runtime: 111 minutes
Publicity Contacts:
Michèle Abitbol-Lasry
Séverine Lajarrige
184, Bd. Haussmann – 75008 Paris
Tel.: +33 (0)1 45 62 45 62
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MALAVITA
In the dark action comedy MALAVITA, a Mafia boss and his family are relocated to a sleepy
town in France under the Witness Protection Program after snitching on the mob. Despite Agent
Stansfield‟s (Tommy Lee Jones) best efforts to keep them in line, Fred Blake (Robert De Niro), his
wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and their children, Belle (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D‟Leo),
can‟t help resorting to old habits by handling their problems the “family” way. Chaos ensues as their
former Mafia cronies try to track them down and scores are settled in the unlikeliest of settings, in
this subversively funny film by Luc Besson.
Malavita stars Academy Award® winners Robert De Niro (Raging Bull, Silver Linings Playbook),
and Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln, No Country for Old Men), Academy Award nominee Michelle Pfeiffer
(Scarface, The Fabulous Baker Boys), Dianna Agron (“Glee,” I Am Number Four), and John D‟Leo (The
Wrestler, Brooklyn’s Finest). It is directed by Luc Besson (Taken, Transporter). The screenplay is written
by Luc Besson , based on Tonino Benacquista‟s novel, Malavita.
The film is produced by Virginie Besson-Silla (The Lady, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle
Blanc-Sec) and Ryan Kavanaugh (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Limitless) . Director of photography is
Thierry Arbogast (The Patience Stone, The Secret Book). Editor is Julien Rey (The Lady, The Extraordinary
Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec). Original music is by Evgueni Galperine (The Hunger Games, Rust and Bone)
and Sacha Galperine (Eva, The Big Picture). Production designer is Hugues Tissandier (Taken, The Chef).
Costume designer is Olivier Beriot (Taken, The Lady). Executive producers are Martin Scorsese
(Goodfellas, The Departed), Jason Beckman (Safe Haven, Movie 43), Jason Colodne (Safe Haven, Movie 43),
and Tucker Tooley (The Fighter, Limitless). Co-executive producers are Ron Burkle (The Secret Life of
Girls, Out of the Furnace) and Jason Colbeck (Mirror, Mirror).
MEET THE MANZONIS…AKA THE BLAKES
After an ex-mob boss snitches on his former cohorts, he and his firecracker wife, their allAmerican daughter and wanna-be wiseguy son are all forced to relocate to a picturesque village in
Normandy where they bring new meaning to the phrase “crime family” in Luc Besson‟s subversively
funny new film, MALAVITA. The critically acclaimed French director takes audiences on an
unexpectedly hilarious journey as Giovanni Manzoni, played by Robert De Niro, and his close-knit
clan must resort to their old habits in order to navigate life in small town France while staying one
step ahead of assassins dispatched by his now incarcerated former colleagues.
“Giovanni, now known as Fred Blake, has attempted to start over in different places, first the
U.S., then Paris and the South of France,” explains Besson. “None of those places have worked out
for him, mostly because he and his family can‟t resist their old ways of dealing with problems. Now
they find themselves in the tiniest French village you can imagine, where they think nothing ever
happens. But they‟re wrong. That‟s exactly when things really start to happen.”
“Much of the humor comes from the misunderstandings between the Blake family and their
new neighbors,” says Besson. “There‟s a good deal of confrontation between the family and the local
people in Normandy. In the French countryside, if you need a plumber, you have to wait about two
years. These guys are kings of the world. If you‟re unpleasant with them, you‟ll wait four years.
Whoever it is, the local priest, the grocery store owner or the plumber in this little village, they are all
trying to take a little advantage of the Americans, thinking they must have money. But they don‟t
know who they‟re dealing with. You can‟t do that to Giovanni Manzoni—or Fred Blake. If you try to
cheat him, he‟s going to kill you.”
The filmmakers have fun at the expense of both the French and American characters, playing
off their native idiosyncrasies to great comic effect. “We are not making fun of any one culture, the
Americans or the French,” says Besson. “We tried to make fun of everybody. I know the locals in
that kind of small, country town far from Paris. I was raised in a place like that. I also lived in New
York and Los Angeles, so I know many Americans and their foibles. It was exciting and amusing for
me to put them together in a small village and watch what happens.”
For producer Virginie Besson-Silla, the story offered a new, highly entertaining twist on a
classic genre. “We‟ve all seen those Mafia movies where people are forced to start a new life,” she
says. “I wanted to explore what happens to people who have to go undercover. These characters end
up in a small village in France where they are totally like fish out of water. It was a lot of fun to see
how they responded to the French habits and really entertaining to watch them try to adjust.”
Besson adapted MALAVITA from Tonino Benacquista‟s comedic action novel Malavita. To
start the story, Benacquista posed the general question: “Can a man who lived for and through
violence ever go straight, lay low and have a „normal‟ life?” the author asks. “I did some research into
the real Witness Security Program, but my novel is first and foremost a comedy about an ex-mob
boss who has to deal with difficult everyday situations. I thought the contrast could be even more
interesting if the character had to live abroad in an unfamiliar environment. He‟s facing two tough
challenges at once: learning to live like anyone else while also adjusting to the customs of a country
that often puzzles him.”
The author added to that the responsibilities and frustrations of family life. “All the family
members have to live in hiding, in exile and in guilt,” he says. “That makes the story about the family,
and even though it‟s not an ordinary family, the characters have to face challenges that any parent or
child in the world face. When the Manzonis land in Normandy, they seem like aliens and they have to
stick together. The most important thing becomes the affection they have for each other.”
Benacquista says he chose to give the film rights to Besson because of his longtime respect
for the filmmaker‟s work. “I remember watching his 1983 film, The Last Battle, in a local theater and
feeling that I had discovered a true filmmaker of my generation,” the writer recalls. “It was a
wonderful combination of poetry and violence, in spite of the limited budget. Later on, after I had
seen his action movies, I thought this movie couldn‟t exist without that element and Luc is a real
master of the genre, as well as being amazing with actors and fluent in English.”
In writing the screenplay, Besson made very few changes in the narrative. “We added some additional
dialogue here and there to make the adaptation more cinematic, and established stronger bonds
between the family” he says. “But as far as structure and characters, everything was already there.”
Besson had not originally planned to direct the film, but as the script began to coalesce and
the actors, including Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle Pfeiffer, signed on, he began
to question that decision. “We established a list of potential directors, but as time went on, we had
this fantastic cast and I didn‟t want to give this film to anyone else,” he says. “Robert [De Niro] didn‟t
say anything until the moment when the fruit was ready to fall, and then he said, „Luc, why don‟t you
do the film?‟ How could I turn down such a film?”
MALAVITA is a clever and loving homage to the mobster movie genre and it seems fitting
that its pedigree includes an executive producer who has put an indelible stamp on the genre.
Academy Award-winner Martin Scorsese lent his imprimatur to a film featuring characters that fit
quite naturally into his gallery of deadly crime lords and amiable thugs.
Scorsese‟s support was enormously gratifying to Besson. “I‟m a huge, huge fan of Scorsese,
Coppola and all those guys,” says Besson. “I grew up on The Godfather, Scarface and Goodfellas. When
we first thought of casting Robert De Niro, we decided to ask Martin Scorsese if he wanted to join
us, because this is in part a tribute to him. We even mention him in the film. So we sent him the
script, he read it and he laughed so much that he said „I‟m with you, I‟m with you, I‟m with you!‟ It
was cool and it made perfect sense, too. It was an honor to work with Martin.”
Luc Besson recalls that upon reading Malavita, he immediately envisioned legendary actor
Robert De Niro in the role of Giovanni Manzoni (aka Fred Blake). But before mentioning his idea to
Benacquista, he asked the writer who he thought should play the role. “He said he had always
dreamed of casting De Niro,” says Besson. “I had known Robert for years, so we sent him the book,
which he found very funny. As I worked on the script, I sent that as well and he said he would come
aboard.”
Benacquista was thrilled to learn that his first choice to play the part was not only available,
but enthusiastic about the film. “When you are in your study imagining a scene, you don‟t assume that
one day that particular line will be performed by actors like this,” he says. “Without Luc, I know this
part of the dream could never have materialized.”
De Niro says he was attracted to the film‟s humor and original point of view. “It‟s an unusual
take on the mobster genre with a novel storyline,” he says. “My character was a crime boss in New
York, but he turned in his whole crew. When he entered the Witness Protection Program with his
family, they were sent to France, but every place they have been resettled, they end up in hot water.
Now they are in the middle of nowhere and it might as well be Mars. The situation can seem a bit
surreal, but the character is very real and relatable.”
Always attuned to small points of authenticity, De Niro researched life in the Federal Witness
Security Program, or WITSEC, prior to the shoot to see if an ex-crime boss from the East Coast
might really end up in a small French village. “I learned that this situation could exist, especially if it
were politically oriented in some way.”
He also asked an expert to weigh in on life in the mob. “When we started really dealing with
the story, there were some little things that I felt weren‟t entirely accurate about Fred‟s world,” says
De Niro. “Tonino was the first to admit he had to make things up here and there.”
De Niro made a phone call to an author and journalist friend who has written extensively
about organized crime. He spent a few hours speaking with De Niro and Besson to provide
additional authentic insights into for Fred‟s previous life which served as an invaluable source of
information.
A key turning point in the film comes when Fred shocks his FBI handlers—and surprises
even himself—with his plan to write a memoir that will set the record straight about exactly how he
lived his life—and which could have disastrous results if it ever got out. “I think when you get older,
if you feel you‟ve done something unusual, good or bad, you want to tell your side of the story,” says
De Niro. “That‟s what motivates Fred. He wants to express his own take on this world and why he
did what he did. He is in a sense trying to redeem himself. He wants to document how things went
down and justify his decisions so he will have some peace of mind.”
Fred also begins telling locals that he is working on a book about the Allied landing in
Normandy during World War II. As an American writer, he is asked to speak at the local film club,
which is screening, of all things, Goodfellas, a sly nod on Besson‟s part to both De Niro and Scorsese‟s
involvement in MALAVITA. The audience‟s enthusiasm for the movie inspires the ex-gangster to
share a few stories of his own. “And he likes the attention,” says De Niro. “Finally, he‟s getting
validation for all the things he‟s done, not by people of his secret world, but by the larger legitimate
world.”
While on the set, De Niro had to adapt to Besson‟s trademark breakneck pace of shooting, a
quality he found energizing. “Luc works very fast. He has it all in his head when he comes to the set
and he‟s behind the camera, so he‟s completely in control. He‟s got the whole canvas in his head. I
like the way he works a lot—there‟s no wasting of time. It‟s important for spontaneity.”
The director says he was a bit in awe of working with the Oscar® winner. “I mean, I saw Mean
Streets and Taxi Driver when I was 15,” says Besson. “But at the same time, I just had to roll up my
sleeves and get to work. What‟s the point of having Robert De Niro if you do nothing special with
him? We worked hard. He‟d be asking me questions all the time, calling me on the phone, and that
was fine by me. He can wake me up any time.”
With an iconic actor of De Niro‟s stature on board, casting the rest of the roles was easy,
according to Besson-Silla. “Michelle Pfeiffer was Luc‟s first choice to play Maggie. She agreed to do
the film very quickly because the story is so appealing and so was the idea of working with Luc and
Robert.”
Although De Niro and Pfeiffer both starred in the films Stardust and New Year’s Eve, they had
never actually appeared in a scene together. Still, De Niro says he felt very comfortable working with
her. “I figured it was a good match for us,” he says. “I‟m very happy that Michelle was available and
wanted to do this.”
Pfeiffer came in to meet with Besson full of ideas on how to make the character richer and
more rounded. “Michelle is very focused,” says the director. “Pairing her with an actor of the caliber
of Robert De Niro brought out the best in each of them. They had not shot together before, so they
really wanted to show each other that they could be counted on. It was just a pleasure for me, because
they respect each other so much. They‟re great team players.”
Pfeiffer says she came to the set looking forward to working with De Niro and was not disappointed.
“He‟s such an icon,” she says. “There are maybe five actors that have godlike status for me, and he‟s
one of them. He is very humble, very quiet and collaborative, and he has a generous spirit. I really
enjoyed being on the set with him and with Luc Besson.”
The actress, who starred in Jonathan Demme‟s 1988 Mafia comedy Married to the Mob, admits
she has a fondness for playing gangster‟s wives, but the real attraction for her was the Manzoni-Blake
family dynamic. “They take a genre that I love in a new direction. This is really about how they
interact with each other and the outside world, which is a great source of humor in the film. They are
their own worst enemies and impossible to protect because they just can‟t behave. It‟s really about the
family connection and that overrules all, no matter the circumstances.”
Maggie is the bedrock of the family, according to Pfeiffer. “She does have a temper, but she
always hits the ground running and tries to make the best of the situation to keep her family‟s spirits
up. She has accepted that this is now their way of life, but she still has some issues and her rage has
got to come out somewhere. She‟s humiliated by the whole experience, especially the anti-American
sentiment that they keep encountering in France. She tries to fit in, to do good and to respect the
culture that she‟s in, but she feels she is being treated unfairly.”
Pfeiffer enjoyed working on Besson‟s warp-speed schedule, even though it was occasionally
challenging. “I like that,” says Pfeiffer. “You constantly have to be on your toes. At the same time, it
lends a really good energy to the film. Luc is constantly thinking, which I love. He‟s collaborative, but
I knew that my ideas had to be very well thought out, because he doesn‟t waste time on debating
anything that he thinks won‟t work.”
Tommy Lee Jones and Luc Besson have been friends for years, collaborating on two films,
2005‟s The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada and the upcoming The Homesman, as director and
producer respectively. “Don‟t try and mess with Tommy or he‟ll kill you!” jokes Besson. “He watches
everything with those big, piercing eyes, but he‟s also listening to what you‟re saying. If what you‟re
saying is true and he understands you, he says, „yes, fine, no problem.‟ He doesn‟t like to waste time;
he‟s efficient, and I like that, so I never have any problems with him. After producing two films that
he directed, I know he‟s a brilliant guy.”
Jones says he did this film because of his high regard for Besson, but the fact that it was
shooting in France didn‟t hurt. “I had a wonderful time in France. I worked in Normandy on the
sound mix of a movie I directed and I‟m always very happy there. Also, I‟d never worked with Bob
De Niro before and that was something I simply couldn‟t resist. I‟ve admired his whole body of work
since he first started. The entire process was exhilarating. He‟s always well-prepared, always original
and doesn‟t attract unnecessary attention to himself.”
Jones says he and Besson have a similar approach to filmmaking, which makes the process
easy for him. “He‟s a very smooth director. Some cinematographers and some directors enjoy the
ritual of saying „Lights! Camera! Action!‟ That can be a distraction. Luc doesn‟t bother with that at all.
He just says, „Okay. Go.‟ I appreciate that. There‟s no wasted energy or time. He lights very quickly,
and he lights very well with a lot of natural light. He doesn‟t make a big production out of
production.”
The actor was also attracted by the fact that the script shined a new light on a familiar genre.
“A family of Mafia people has been put into witness protection in France. Both the drama and
comedy of the story come from their attempts to fit into French society. My character, Agent
Stansfield, is the FBI agent who monitors them. He‟s a watchdog of sorts and tries to help them
avoid exposure. I have played law enforcement officers before, but I always look for ways to make
the roles unique. I‟m more concerned with each movie as an individual enterprise, rather than doing
the same thing over and over again.”
Sharing the screen with these veteran players are two exciting up-and-comers; Dianna Agron,
best known for her work as cheerleader Quinn Fabray on the hit television show “Glee,” and John
D‟Leo, who has played small parts in such prestigious films as The Wrestler and Brooklyn’s Finest.
“Dianna and John were amazing,” says Pfeiffer. “They started before the rest of us did, so
they were really up to speed when we came on. Because Luc works fast and doesn‟t spend a lot of
time coddling actors, they had to be very grown up and sophisticated. They‟re also just fun to be
around. I had a great time working with them both.”
Besson‟s daughter is a fan of “Glee,” so she urged her father to meet with Agron for the role
of Belle Blake. “Dianna happened to be in Paris, so we had a cup of tea and a three-minute meeting
that convinced me she would be perfect in the part,” says the director. “She had the right voice and
attitude, and she‟s very smart.”
Agron seized the opportunity to work with a group of professionals that she respects and
looks up to as filmmakers and performers. “Luc Besson is somebody I‟ve always admired, so that was
a huge draw,” she says. “Then add to that Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle
Pfeiffer—I‟d heard of them once or twice. Being able to learn from these people made me pursue
this project as hard as I could.”
The actress was also excited to play a character facing a classic fish out of water dilemma. “I
knew that being in this provincial town in France and having such different examples of normalcy
would be a lot of fun to tackle,” says Agron. “As I was reading it, I could see it all playing out in my
head. I also liked that there‟s the thriller element throughout, and that the subject matter is unique.
You don‟t often see families in Witness Protection Programs.”
An average American teenager in many ways, Belle is struggling with issues of identity and
belonging that are made worse by her exile from everything familiar to her. “She wants to fall in love,
she dreams of discovering herself in a faraway land. She‟s very mature, steadfast and observant at
times, and a daydreamer at others. There is a scene around the dinner table, where I‟ve just
consummated my first love, and I was looking out the window completely spaced out and I forgot
my lines! Luc told me that I was really Belle at the moment.”
Belle‟s attachment to her family runs deep, says the actress. “She‟s very proud of her father.
She loves both of her parents, but her father is even more of a role model to her than her mother.
There‟s a moment when he expresses his guilt for the way things have turned out, and she refuses to
accept his apology, because to her, he‟s everything.”
While Agron was a shoo-in for the part after her first meeting with Besson, finding the right
young actor to play Warren was trickier. “We set up auditions with several great young actors,” says
Besson. “John D‟Leo wanted the part so badly and he turned out to be a great actor. He is brilliant in
the film.”
D‟Leo read the entire script in a single sitting and became determined to get the role.
“They‟re not like an average family,” he says. “They can‟t even fight with each other like a normal
family does. It‟s key that they stick together because there are people trying to kill them, so family has
to be the most important thing.”
He recognized how much his character wants to be like his father, even though Fred is the
source of their present situation. “But Warren doesn‟t blame him for that. His dad is a role model for
him. He wants to advance beyond his father and to repair the damage that has been done to the
family name. Warren is a very independent character. Like Belle, he does a lot of stuff on his own
without his parents knowing. But he‟s barely 14, and most of the time, he‟s scared deep down.”
Working with a cast of Hollywood heavyweights was an unforgettable experience, says
D‟Leo. “Off set, everyone was really nice and very relaxed. When we were working, they were still
really nice, but also very professional and focused on the work. For me, it was a great to be able to
draw on all that experience and just let loose as an actor. I‟ve learned so much that I‟d need to write
two books to explain it all.”
Agron says that she and D‟Leo developed a sibling-like relationship on set, starting with their
first meeting. “I met him while we were doing makeup tests and he asked if I was hair or makeup. I
said to him „I‟m your sister!‟ and he turned bright red! That automatically gave us something to joke
about, and I teased him about it constantly.”
Rounding out the cast of displaced Americans are Domenick Lombardozzi and Jimmy
Palumbo, who play a pair of G-men stuck in the French boondocks while trying to babysit the
resistant Blake family. “Domenick and Jimmy have just a few scenes, but they were on set all the
time,” says Besson. “They are the funniest guys you could possibly meet. They became the two
mascots of the film and really good friends of mine.”
“The storyline was really tight,” says Lombardozzi, known to fans of “The Wire” as Sgt.
Thomas “Herc” Hauk. “I love how the comedy is sprinkled out through the whole thing. The balance
between drama and comedy is really effective. Even though you have someone 3,000 miles away
from home in Witness Protection, I just loved how it wasn‟t all that serious.”
Over time, these agents have become Maggie‟s best friends. She confides in them, brings
them home-cooked meals and plies them for information. “They‟ve become like family for her,” says
Pfeiffer. “People look for friendships where you can be completely yourself and those are few and far
between. These two guys know her darkest, dirtiest secrets, and they accept her.”
The three characters have bonded over the fact that none of them really wants be there.
“We‟re away from our families,” says Lombardozzi, whose character is known as Mimmo. “We do
not particularly like the guy we‟re guarding. After all, he did kill a lot of people. But we have a
connection with Maggie, and that‟s pretty much what keeps us going. It‟s a give-and-take relationship.
It serves a purpose for both sides. When she‟s with us, she can let her hair down and be herself.”
“We tried not to take the characters too seriously,” says Palumbo, who plays DiCicco.
“They‟re not top-notch agents. It was more about playing a character who thinks he‟s a great agent.”
Lombardozzi says he and Palumbo always kept Besson‟s initial advice to them on set in mind.
“He said, „I‟m very easy to work with, but when I say we‟re shooting at noon, I want to be yelling
action at noon.‟ Once we got on set, we‟d be shooting within a minute or two. That‟s very good
because it keeps the energy up.”
MALAVITA was filmed on location in Normandy, France, as well as on the soundstage of
Besson‟s La Cité du Cinéma, a state-of-the-art studio complex on the outskirts of Paris. “We loved
the idea of setting a classic American mob movie in France,” says Besson-Silla. “It was fun to do for
all of us, especially after The Lady, which is a political film set in Burma. We wanted to try something
totally different. I think there is something very special about France that foreigners love. Everybody
is happy to come to film in France, perhaps mostly because of the food.”
The filmmakers located a tiny, untouched village with a suitable house to hide the Blake
family in an unexpected location. “Coincidentally, it was just five miles from our home,” the director
says. “We found many of our locations within a 15-mile radius, so every day we all drove a few miles
in a given direction to the set. It was during the summer and it didn‟t even feel like we were working.
It was more like we were just a bunch of goof-offs having fun in Normandy.”
Their intimate familiarity with the region made location scouting a fairly easy process, says
Besson-Silla. “We found the house for the family in a funny way. My daughter was sick at Christmas
time and the only doctor available was in a tiny little town that I had never been to. When I got there,
I realized it was the perfect place to do a film, so when MALAVITA came up and Luc was looking
for a house, I took him to that little village and that‟s where we shot.”
The director and the producer opened the doors of their country estate to the cast, creating a
cozy and familiar atmosphere while filming in Normandy. “One of the best moments for me was
having all these Americans in the countryside, with nothing around,” she says. “We had all the main
cast members of course, as well as actors with supporting roles like Dominick Lombardozzi, Jimmy
Palumbo and Vinny Pastore. To have them come and spend some time in Normandy together was
very nice.”
Working in Normandy was a pleasure for the actors. “It‟s very beautiful,” says Agron. “And
there were no paparazzi, which helped make it a wonderful environment to work in. There‟s a little
restaurant that we went to every night together. We just told stories and got to know each other like
family. It was idyllic.”
“I‟ll always remember that restaurant,” says Palumbo. “There are only six tables and Tommy
Lee Jones sat at our table six nights in a row, while Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer were having
dinner next to us! One evening, Harvey Keitel came in. It was magic.”
It was Pfeiffer‟s first experience working with a French director. “The feeling on set was
distinctly European,” she says. “It was more streamlined than a typical, huge American production.
We had perhaps half as many crewmembers as I normally see on a movie set, all working at
breakneck speed to get the job done.”
In Paris, Besson shot his film at La Cité du Cinéma, a flagship facility located a few miles to
the north of central Paris that is designed to facilitate filmmaking from screenwriting through postproduction and distribution. A longtime passion project for Besson, the studio has 650,000 square
feet of resources dedicated to dressing rooms, editing suites, paint and carpentry workshops, camera
and lighting shops and screening and reception rooms, making it the largest location of its kind in
Europe.
MALAVITA is the first film Besson and Besson-Silla have shot at the new facility. “It‟s a
dream come true to see those big studios finally open after almost ten years of planning and
building,” says Besson-Silla. “And to have three legendary actors come over and shoot here with us
was quite amazing.”
As he considers sharing his latest film with an audience, Besson reflects on the way each of
the films he has made in his more than 30-year career has been a unique experience for him. “I
started in the movie business when I was 17 years old and I still never know why someone will come
and watch a film,” he says. “I was once in Korea and a 17-year-old boy with a pink Mohawk came up
and said to me very seriously, „My favorite film is Subway.‟ I said, „You were not even born when it
was made!‟ If you had told me 30 years ago that one day a Korean kid with pink hair would watch my
film, I would never have believed you.
“For me, the pleasure is just to make the film and hope that the audience will enjoy it,”
Besson continues. “We want it to be fun, first of all. Even though the situation is quite serious, it‟s
still a comedy, so it was essential to find the right balance. The best way not to look pretentious is to
shoot with humor. All the characters are very serious about what they do, but we‟re smiling all the
time because they‟re just nuts.”
ABOUT THE CAST
ROBERT DE NIRO (Fred Blake) is one of the most celebrated screen actors of all time.
He continues to expand his boundless range with performances spanning from comic to serious and
everything in between. De Niro recently earned his fifth Oscar nomination for his supporting role in
David O. Russell‟s Silver Linings Playbook, opposite Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.
The actor co-stars in Mark Steven Johnson‟s action-thriller Killing Season and the forthcoming
crime drama Motel, alongside John Cusack and Dominic Purcell. Other upcoming film projects
include the Jon Turteltaub comedy Last Vegas, with Morgan Freeman and Michael Douglas, and
David O. Russell‟s American Hustle, co-starring Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams and Christian Bale.
De Niro has played a diverse array of characters in his other recent films: the drama Being
Flynn, the romantic comedy New Year’s Eve, the thriller Limitless, the comedy Little Fockers, the mystery
Red Lights, the comedy The Big Wedding, the crime-drama Freelancers, the psychological thriller Stone and
the actioner Machete.
De Niro won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the young
Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II (1974). In 1980 he won his second Oscar, as Best Actor, for his
extraordinary portrayal of boxer Jake La Motta in Martin Scorsese‟s Raging Bull.
He also earned Academy Award nominations for memorable performances in four additional
films: as Travis Bickle in Scorsese‟s acclaimed Taxi Driver, as a Vietnam vet in Michael Cimino‟s The
Deer Hunter, as a catatonic patient brought to life in Penny Marshall‟s Awakenings, and as an ex-con
looking for revenge in Scorsese‟s remake of the 1962 classic Cape Fear.
In 2009 De Niro received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor for his distinguished acting
career. He also received the Hollywood Actor Award from the Hollywood Film Festival and the
Stanley Kubrick Award from the BAFTA Britannia Awards. In addition, AARP the Magazine gave De
Niro the 2010 Movies for Grownups Lifetime Achievement Award. De Niro was honored with the
Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards®. He also served as the jury president of
the 64th Annual Cannes Film Festival.
De Niro launched his prolific motion picture career in Brian De Palma‟s The Wedding Party in
1969. By 1974, he had won the New York Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor in
recognition of his critically acclaimed performance in Bang the Drum Slowly and from the National
Society of Film Critics for his work in Martin Scorsese‟s Mean Streets.
The actor‟s distinguished body of work also includes performances in Elia Kazan‟s The Last
Tycoon, Bernardo Bertolucci‟s 1900, Ulu Grosbard‟s True Confessions and Falling in Love, Sergio Leone‟s
Once Upon a Time in America, Scorsese‟s King of Comedy, New York, New York, Goodfellas and Casino,
Terry Gilliam‟s Brazil, Roland Joffe‟s The Mission, Brian De Palma‟s The Untouchables, Alan Parker‟s
Angel Heart, Martin Brest‟s Midnight Run, David Jones‟ Jacknife, Martin Ritt‟s Stanley and Iris, Neil
Jordan‟s We’re No Angels, Ron Howard‟s Backdraft, Michael Caton-Jones‟ This Boy’s Life and City by the
Sea, John McNaughton‟s Mad Dog and Glory, Kenneth Branagh‟s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Michael
Mann‟s Heat, Barry Levinson‟s Sleepers, Wag the Dog and What Just Happened, Jerry Zaks‟ Marvin’s Room,
Tony Scott‟s The Fan, James Mangold‟s Copland, Alfonso Cuarón‟s Great Expectations, Quentin
Tarantino‟s Jackie Brown, John Frankenheimer‟s Ronin, Harold Ramis‟ Analyze This and Analyze That,
Joel Schumacher‟s Flawless, Des McAnuff‟s The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, George Tillman‟s
Men of Honor, John Herzfeld‟s 15 Minutes, Frank Oz‟s The Score, Tom Dey‟s Showtime, Nick Hamm‟s
Godsend, John Polson‟s Hide and Seek, Mary McGuckian‟s The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Jay Roach‟s Meet
the Parents and Meet the Fockers, Jon Avnet‟s Righteous Kill and Kirk Jones‟ Everybody’s Fine.
De Niro takes pride in the development of his production company, Tribeca Productions, the
Tribeca Film Center (which he founded with Jane Rosenthal in 1988) and the Tribeca Film Festival,
which he co-founded in 2001 as a response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. The festival
was conceived to foster the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an
annual celebration of film, music and culture. The festival‟s mission is to promote New York City as a
major filmmaking center and help filmmakers reach the broadest possible audiences.
Through Tribeca Productions, De Niro develops projects on which he serves in a
combination of capacities including producer, director and actor. Tribeca‟s A Bronx Tale (1993)
marked De Niro‟s directorial debut. He later directed and co-starred in The Good Shepherd, with Matt
Damon and Angelina Jolie.
Other Tribeca features include Thunderheart, Cape Fear, Mistress, Night and the City, The Night We
Never Met, Faithful, Panther, Marvin’s Room, Wag the Dog, Analyze This, Flawless, The Adventures of Rocky
and Bullwinkle, Meet the Parents, 15 Minutes, Showtime, Analyze That and Meet the Fockers.
In 1992 Tribeca TV was launched with the acclaimed series “Tribeca.” De Niro was one of
the executive producers. In 1998 Tribeca produced a miniseries for NBC based on the life of Sammy
“The Bull” Gravano.
Tribeca Productions is headquartered at De Niro‟s Tribeca Film Center in the TriBeCa
district of New York. The Film Center is a state-of-the-art office building designed for the film and
television industry. The facility features office space, a screening room, banquet hall and restaurant.
MICHELLE PFEIFFER (Maggie Blake) is a Golden Globe Award winner and threetime Academy Award nominee who over the last three decades has captivated film audiences with her
stunning beauty and compelling performances.
Most recently, Pfeiffer was seen in Dark Shadows, a film that reunited her with Tim Burton for
a big-screen take on the gothic vampire series from the 1960s. She also appeared in Alex Kurtzman‟s
drama People like Us, opposite Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde and Elizabeth Banks, and Garry Marshall‟s
romantic comedy New Year’s Eve, alongside Robert De Niro, Hilary Swank, Sarah Jessica Parker and
Ashton Kutcher.
Pfeiffer received her first Academy Award nomination in 1989 (Best Actress in a Supporting
Role) for her role as the long-suffering Madame de Tourvel in Stephen Frears‟ Dangerous Liaisons,
alongside John Malkovich and Uma Thurman.
In 1990 she won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture
and received her second Oscar nomination for her performance as the sexy chanteuse Suzie
Diamond in The Fabulous Baker Boys, opposite Jeff Bridges. In 1993 Pfeiffer earned Oscar and Golden
Globe nominations in the Best Actress category for her performance as Dallas housewife Lurene
Hallett in Jonathan Kaplan‟s Love Field.
Over the years, Pfeiffer‟s other honors include a BAFTA Award as well as critics‟ awards for
her performances in The Age of Innocence, Frankie and Johnny, The Russia House and Married to the Mob.
In 2009 Pfeiffer starred in Chéri, the story of a love affair between a beautiful retired
courtesan, Léa de Lonval (Pfeiffer), and Chéri, a young man played by Rupert Friend. Directed by
Stephen Frears, the film is based on the 1920 novel of the same name by French author Colette.
In 2007 Pfeiffer appeared in Adam Shankman‟s Hairspray opposite John Travolta,
Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah and Zac Efron. The film, an adaptation of Broadway‟s 2003
Tony Award® winner for Best Musical, became the third musical film in history to gross $200 million
internationally.
That same year, Pfeiffer appeared as the evil witch Lamia in fantasy epic Stardust, directed by
Matthew Vaughn. The film, a fairy tale set in ancient England, was adapted from Neil Gaiman‟s
novel. The cast included Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Ian McKellen, Rupert Everett and Sienna
Miller.
Pfeiffer lent her voice to the 2003 animated feature Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, alongside
Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joseph Fiennes. She received a Screen Actors Guild nomination
in 2002 for her role as the murderous mother Ingrid Magnussen in Peter Kosminsky‟s White Oleander.
Pfeiffer first came to prominence in the 1983 cult classic Scarface, playing the wife of Al
Pacino‟s iconic Tony Montana. The crime drama, directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver
Stone, has become a cultural icon.
Additional film credits include Jesse Nelson‟s I Am Sam, Robert Zemeckis‟ What Lies Beneath,
Rob Reiner‟s The Story of Us, Michael Hoffman‟s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ulu Grosbard‟s The Deep
End of the Ocean, Michael Hoffman‟s One Fine Day, Michael Pressman‟s To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday,
Jon Avnet‟s Up Close & Personal, John N. Smith‟s Dangerous Minds, Mike Nichols‟ Wolf, Tim Burton‟s
Batman Returns, George Miller‟s The Witches of Eastwick, Robert Towne‟s Tequila Sunrise, Alan Alda‟s
Sweet Liberty and Richard Donner‟s Ladyhawke.
TOMMY LEE JONES (Tom Quintiliani) is one of the most acclaimed and accomplished
actors in Hollywood. The Academy Award winner brings a distinct character to every film he is
involved in. Most recently, Jones starred as Thaddeus Stevens in Steven Spielberg‟s acclaimed
historical drama Lincoln, receiving Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for his performance.
Jones directs and stars in the forthcoming drama The Homesman, the story of a pioneer woman
and a claim-jumping rascal of a man who usher three insane women on an odyssey from Nebraska to
Iowa, braving the elements along the way. The film co-stars Hilary Swank and John Lithgow.
In 2012 Jones starred in three films. He reprised his role as Agent K in Barry Sonnenfeld‟s
sci-fi sequel Men in Black 3, starred with Meryl Streep in David Frankel‟s Hope Springs and played
General Douglas MacArthur in Peter Webber‟s Emperor.
In 2007 Jones starred in the critically acclaimed film In the Valley of Elah, for which he
received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. That same year, he starred in the Academy Awardwinning adaptation No Country for Old Men, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and based on
the Cormac McCarthy novel.
Jones made his feature-film debut in Arthur Hiller‟s Love Story. He earned his first Golden
Globe nomination for Michael Apted‟s Coal Miner’s Daughter.
The actor was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the
uncompromising U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard in Andrew Davis‟ worldwide hit The Fugitive (1993). For
this performance, Jones also received a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. Three years
earlier, he received his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Clay Shaw in Oliver Stone‟s JFK.
In a career spanning four decades, Jones has starred in such films as Irvin Kershner‟s Eyes of
Laura Mars, Mike Figgis‟ Stormy Monday, Andrew Davis‟ The Package and Under Siege, Oliver Stone‟s
Heaven and Earth and Natural Born Killers, Joel Schumacher‟s The Client and Batman Forever, Tony
Richardson‟s Blue Sky, Ron Shelton‟s Cobb, Stuart Baird‟s U.S. Marshals, Bruce Beresford‟s Double
Jeopardy, William Friedkin‟s Rules of Engagement, Clint Eastwood‟s Space Cowboys, Ron Howard‟s The
Hunted, Stephen Herek‟s The Missing, Robert Altman‟s A Prairie Home Companion, Bertrand Tavernier‟s
In the Electric Mist and Joe Johnston‟s Captain America: The First Avenger.
Jones produced, directed and starred in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, alongside
Dwight Yoakam and Barry Pepper. This film about friendship and murder along the Texas-Mexican
border debuted in competition at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. It garnered Jones the festival‟s
award for Best Actor and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga the prize for Best Screenplay.
More recently, Jones directed “The Sunset Limited” for HBO. This telefilm, which premiered
in February 2011, is based on the play of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. It starred Jones and
Samuel L. Jackson.
In 1995 Jones made his directorial debut with “The Good Old Boys,” the critically acclaimed
telefilm adaptation of Elmer Kelton‟s novel. Jones also starred in the telefilm alongside Sissy Spacek,
Sam Shepard, Frances McDormand and Matt Damon. For his portrayal of Hewey Calloway, he
received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and a CableACE Award nomination.
Jones has also had success on the small screen. In 1983 he won an Emmy Award® for
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his portrayal of Gary Gilmore in “The
Executioner‟s Song.” In 1989 he was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe (Outstanding
Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special) for “Lonesome Dove.”
In 1969 Jones made his Broadway debut in John Osborne‟s “A Patriot for Me.” His other
Broadway appearances include “Four on a Garden,” with Carol Channing and Sid Caesar, and
“Ulysses in Nighttown,” with the late Zero Mostel.
DIANNA AGRON (Belle Blake) is on her way to becoming one of the most versatile and
sought-after talented young actresses in Hollywood. She can currently be seen playing Quinn Fabray
in the hit television series “Glee,” a role for which she has been nominated for three Teen Choice
Awards. The cast won Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble at the 2010 SAG Awards and two
Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series: Musical or Comedy.
Agron is also known for her breakout role as Sarah Hart in D.J. Caruso‟s sci-fi actioner I Am
Number Four, opposite Alex Pettyfer and Timothy Olyphant. In 2010 she appeared in Steven Antin‟s
Burlesque, which also starred Cher and Christina Aguilera. The film was nominated for Best Motion
Picture at the 2011 Golden Globes.
Agron‟s other film credits include Galt Niederhoffer‟s The Romantics and Denis Hennelly‟s
Bold Native. Television credits include “Numb3rs,” “Heroes,” “Veronica Mars,” “Shark,” “Drake &
Josh” and “CSI: NY.”
JOHN D’LEO (Warren Blake) is a young American actor. He has appeared in numerous
high-profile films such as Darren Aronofsky‟s The Wrestler, Antoine Fuqua‟s Brooklyn’s Finest, Kevin
Smith‟s Cop Out and David Wain‟s Wanderlust. Television credits include episodes of HBO‟s “How to
Make It in America,” NBC‟s “Mercy” and “Law & Order: SVU,” and ABC‟s “Life on Mars” and
“The Unusuals.”
D‟Leo landed his first role on the soap opera “Guiding Light.” The experience solidified his
love for acting and he has gone on to work opposite Mickey Rourke, Ethan Hawke, Chris Meloni,
Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Jeremy Renner, Marisa Tomei, Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, among
many other notable actors. He has been directed by such talents as Kevin Smith, Antoine Fuqua and
Darren Aronofsky.
D‟Leo can also be seen in numerous national network commercials and campaigns for Oreo,
Verizon and Red Lobster.
JIMMY PALUMBO (DiCicco) has been performing for over 20 years, amassing more than
30 television, film and theater credits.
He has played guest roles on “Boardwalk Empire,” “Blue Bloods,” “The Good Wife,” “30
Rock,” “Damages,” “Fringe,” “Rescue Me,” “Entourage,” “Ugly Betty,” “Desperate Housewives,”
“Friends,” “NYPD Blue,” “Monk,” “Law & Order,” “ER,” “Without a Trace” and “Curb Your
Enthusiasm.”
On the big screen, Palumbo has been seen in Artie Lange‟s Beer League, Michael Patrick
King‟s Sex and the City 2, Luke Greenfield‟s Something Borrowed, Asger Leth‟s Man on a Ledge, J.C.
Chandor‟s Margin Call, Ericson Core‟s Invincible and Charles Herman-Wurmfeld‟s Kissing Jessica Stein.
In addition to his work in television, film and theater, Palumbo has also performed
extensively on the stand-up comedy circuit. He also does voice-over work for radio and television.
A New Jersey native, Palumbo graduated from Rutgers University and enjoys football.
DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI (Mimmo) may be best known for playing flawed
Baltimore police detective “Herc” in the critically acclaimed HBO series “The Wire.” No stranger to
comedy, the actor is also remembered fondly by “Entourage” fans for his arc as a recently paroled,
but not entirely reformed, member of Vince‟s inner circle.
Most recently, Lombardozzi was seen in Guillaume Canet‟s feature Blood Ties, alongside Clive
Owen, Mila Kunis and Marion Cotillard, and an episode of NBC‟s “Chicago Fire.”
Lombardozzi‟s first leading role in a television series came on “Breakout Kings.” He played
Ray Zancanelli, a disgraced U.S. Marshal leading a team of convicts tasked with hunting down
escaped fugitives. Other TV credits include “Bored to Death,” “24” and “Law & Order: Criminal
Intent.”
Lombardozzi won his first role by attending an open casting call for Robert De Niro‟s
directorial debut, A Bronx Tale. Soon thereafter he was cast in memorable roles by acclaimed directors
such as James Gray (The Yards), Sam Raimi (For the Love of the Game), Joel Schumacher (Phone Booth),
James Mangold (Kate & Leopold) and Michael Mann (Public Enemies).
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
LUC BESSON (Director) began his career in cinema in 1977, working a number of
assistant director positions in France and the United States, and thereby gradually positioning himself
as one of the few French directors and producers with an international scope.
In 1983, he directed his first feature film, The Last Battle, which earned him recognition at the
Avoriaz Film Festival.
Two years later he directed Subway, starring Isabelle Adjani and Christopher Lambert. The
industry rewarded him with three Cesar Awards. Luc Besson‟s visual style was clearly established.
Building on his success, he undertook the direction of The Big Blue. Though poorly received at
the Cannes Film Festival, the film gained 10 million admissions and went one to become a veritable
social phenomenon.
Despite an unfavourable critical climate, both La Femme Nikita (1990) and Leon: the Professional
(1994) were publicly acclaimed, solidly establishing his popularity in France and earning him an
international reputation.
Between these films, he directed Atlantis (1991), a documentary aimed at raising awareness
about the beauty of nature and the need to protect the environment.
In 1995 he launched into directing a bold science fiction picture: The Fifth Element. The
blockbuster became one of the biggest box office hits of any French film in the United States. In
1998, Luc Besson took home a Cesar Award for Best Director.
In 1999, he directed his version of Joan of Arc, winning him another nomination as Best Director at
the Cesar Awards.
In 2000, he was named President of the Jury for the 53rd Cannes Film Festival, becoming the
youngest jury president in the history of the festival.
He devoted most of the next five years to production. Since creating EuropaCorp ten years ago, the
studio has become one of the major studios of the European film industry.
In 2005, he returned to directing with Angel-A, and the following year with his first animated
picture, Arthur and the Invisibles, adapted from the book he wrote. This animation was followed up by
two others: Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard (2009) and Arthur 3: the War of the Two Worlds.
In 2010, Luc Besson adapted Tardi‟s series of graphic novels with The Extraordinary Adventures
of Adele Blanc-Sec, with Louis Bourgoin starring in the title role.
2011 marks the release of The Lady, starring Michelle Yeoh in the role of Nobel Peace Prize
winner Aung San suu Kyi.
He will soon start production on his upcoming film, Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson.
Throughout his directing career, Luc Besson also directed a number of music videos, including Serge
Gainsbourg and Mylène Farmer, as well as commercials for internationally renowned brands.
In addition to the films he has directed, Luc Besson has written over twenty screenplays for
features. Among them are the Taxi series and the recent Taken 2, which as of today lays claim to
being the biggest box office hit of any French film in the United States.
Filmography as director
2014 Lucy
2013 Malavita
2011 The Lady
2010 Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds
2010 The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec
2009 Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard
2006 Arthur and the Invisibles
2005 Angel-A
1999 Joan of Arc
1997 The Fifth Element
1994 Leon: The Professional
1991 Atlantis
1990 La Femme Nikita
1988 The Big Blue
1985 Subway
1983 The Last Battle
1981 L‟Avant-Dernier (short)
VIRGINIE BESSON-SILLA (Producer) born in Ottawa, Canada, to a family of
diplomats, spent her childhood travelling the world, from Mali and Senegal to the United States and
France.
After graduating from the American University in Paris with a degree in Business
Administration, she sought her first job in the field she loved more than any: cinema.
In 1994, she began working for Patrice Ledoux, the Gaumont‟s company general director.
She saw Luc Besson‟s The Fifth Element through to the release, then the same director‟s Joan of Arc.
When in 1999 Luc Besson founded EuropaCorp, he offered Virginie a position in the
venture.
She accepted and became a producer. A year later, she produced her first film, Yamakasi-les
samouraïs des temps modernes, a major success with 2.2 million admissions in France.
Then came:
- Once upon an Angel by Vincent Perez (2002) starring Guillaume Depardieu
- Happiness Costs Nothing by Mimo Calopresti (2003) starring Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi
- A ton Image by Aruna Villiers (2004) starring Nastassja Kinski and Christopher Lambert
- Au Suivant by Jeanne Biras (2005) starring Alexandra Lamy and Clovis Cornillac
- Revolver by Guy Ritchie (2005) starring Jason Statham and Ray Liotta
- Love and other Disasters by Aleck Keshishian (2006) starring Brittany Murphy
- The Secret by Vincent Perez (2007) starring Olivia Thirlby and David Duchovny
- From Paris with Love by Pierre Morel (2009) starring John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers
In 2004, Virginie Silla became Virginie Besson-Silla, but it was only after ten years of
collaborating on projects that Luc and Virginie decided to actually team up on a film.
So it was that in 2010 Virginie produced Luc Besson‟s The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele
Blanc-Sec starring Louise Bourgoin.
Then came the most important film of her young career: The Lady, starring Michelle Yeoh
and David Thewlis, directed by Luc Besson, and previewed at the Toronto Film Festival.
She will team up again with the director on his upcoming project, Lucy, starring Scarlett
Johansson.
At the same time, Virginie has been working since 2009 on a 3D animated film, The Boy with
the Cuckoo-Clock Heart, adapted from the book by author Mathias Malzieu, who is also the singer for
the group Dionysos. The film is due for release in February 2014.
MARTIN SCORSESE (Executive Producer) is an Academy Award-winning Director and
one of the most prominent and influential filmmakers working today. He directed the critically
acclaimed, award-winning films Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ,
Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed and the 2010 box office hit Shutter Island.
Scorsese has also directed numerous documentaries including No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, Elia
Kazan: A Letter to Elia (both films garnering Peabody Awards), A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese
through American Movies, Il Mio Viaggio in Italia, Public Speaking starring writer Fran Lebowitz and the
documentary for HBO: George Harrison: Living in the Material World. Most recently he directed
Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated film Hugo, a 3D adaptation of Brian Selznick‟s
children‟s book, for which he won the Golden Globe for Best Director. Scorsese currently serves as
Executive Producer on HBO‟s hit series “Boardwalk Empire” for which he directed the pilot
episode. His latest film, The Wolf of Wall Street, will be released on November 15, 2013. He is the
founder and chair of The Film Foundation and the World Cinema Foundation, both non-profit
organizations dedicated to the preservation, restoration and protection of film.
TONINO BENACQUISTA (Author) was born in France in 1961 to Italian immigrants.
An acclaimed author of fiction, film scripts, and graphic novels, he won a Cesar (the “French Oscar”)
in 2006 for the script of Jacques Audiard‟s The Beat That My Heart Skipped. His novels in English
include The Thursday Night Men, Framed, Someone Else, and Holy Smoke. Benacquista lives in France.