John Shea (3/10 Italian Key)
Excerpt from Cineuropa 3/229/10: John Shea | The Italian Key
Production - Finland: Finnish Foundation supports international projects
March 29, 2010
In its latest round of production support, the Finnish Film Foundation (FFF) has awarded a total of €1.3m to five new feature films, including three international co-productions. The Italian Key (Cabellan Avain) is the first foray into feature film production for established music composer Tuomas Kantelinen (Mother of Mine [trailer]), who has teamed up with US producer Peter O. Almond. Based on a script by first-time director Roosa Toivonen, it tells the story of a 19-year-old girl who discovers friendship and love in an Italian mountain village. Cast members include John Shea and Joeanna Sayler. The editor is Paul Martin Smith (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace). After a summer shoot in Italy, filming will continue in India and London.
© Cineuropa
Excerpt from Independent Film Quarterly 2011: John Shea
Rosa Karo: The Italian Key
By Briege McGarrity
IFQ: How did you find the cast?
RK: All the young protagonists are cast locally from summer residents. Luckily there is a great little theater company, the Theater of Eternal Values, in Val Borbera, so a lot of the cast came through them. We ended up with a very colorful and international cast - Gwendolyn Anslow (Cabella) is half Irish, half French; the three real-life sisters Joana, Elisa and Isadora Cartocci (who played the film's sisters Maria, Sophia and Giulia) are half-Brazilian, half-Italian; Leo Vertunni (Leo) is half-British, half-Italian; Moose Ali Khan (Lord Jai) is Indian, but grew up in the UK; Andreas Wilson and Richard Ulfsäter (young Max and Alexander) are Swedes; Mikko Leppilampi (Mr. Fabian) is from Finland, and Biagio Musacchia (Romeo) is half-Finnish, half-Italian-American; and John Shea (Alexander), Peter Almond (Bronzini), Joeanne Sayler (Chiara) are Americans.
© Independent Film Quarterly
Excerpt from Film Slate Magazine 2011: John Shea
Interview: Writer/Director Rosa Karo
FSM: What was the casting process like? Did you have anybody specific for roles or was there an audition process?
RK: We didn't, of course, have funds or the infrastructure to hire international stars and there are over 20 speaking roles so we mostly cast from the area. There is a wonderful little theater group called Theatre of Eternal Values that's based nearby during the summer months, so we cast many of our young actors through them. The children and teenagers were amateurs, but in the adult roles we got brilliant professional actors such as John Shea and Joeanna Sayler (both from the U.S.), Swedes Andreas Wilson and Richard Ulfsäter and Finland's most beloved heartthrob Mikko Leppilampi.
© Film Slate Magazine
Excerpt from Tulsa International Film Festival 9/24/11: John Shea
The Italian Key
Rosa Karo 2011
Categories: Women Behind the Camera
Run time: 96 min. | Finland, Italy, United Kingdom
A romantic fairy tale about a 19-year-old orphan who gets, as her sole inheritance, an antique key that unlocks both an old villa in Italy and the mysteries of her family history.
screenings 4:30 PM Sat, Sep 24 ** Note: Q&A with Filmmakers after screening.
About the film Cast & Crew
director Rosa Karo
screenwriter Rosa Karo
Cast Gwendolyn Anslow
Joana Cartocci
Joeanna Sayler
John Shea
© Tulsa International Film Festival