EXCLUSIVE: Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment, the new London-based international sales and production company launched by Edoardo Bussi last month, has unveiled Before We Forget as its first global acquisition for its upcoming Cannes slate.
The nostalgic, coming-of-age story marks the feature directorial debut of Argentinian actor Juan Pablo Di Pace (Mamma Mia!, Netflix’ Fuller House), and Andrés Pepe Estrada, who is best known as an award-winning editor on films such as Argentina, 1985 and Upon Open Sky).
Di Pace stars as man looking back on the moments that shaped him, returning to memories of his student days in 1990s Italy, to rediscover the friendships, heartbreaks, and quiet triumphs of youth. As the line between past and present begins to blur, he understands that growing up never truly ends, and that looking back can be the only way to move forward.
Originally titled Duino, the Argentinian-Italian-U.S. co-production is lead produced by Di Pace’s Momento Films. It has participated in numerous global festivals under its original title of Duino, most recently the Miami International Film Festival, picking up audience as well as best feature and director awards along the way.
The deal was brokered between Di Pace under his Momento Films banner and Twenty-nine Palms Entertainment Ltd by Michael Ryan, Executive Producer and former partner at GFM.
Bussi is looking to relaunch the film for international distribution and also sees the deal as the start of of bigger creative partnership with Di Pace and Momento Films.
“Juan and Andrés’s Before We Forget is a striking and emotionally rich debut that revitalizes the coming-of-age genre with a timeless sense of nostalgia and cinematic elegance,” he said.
“In the spirit of films like Aftersun and Call Me By Your Name, it captures the beauty and ache of youth in a way that resonates deeply with audiences worldwide. This deal marks the beginning of an active creative partnership with Juan Pablo and his team, with new projects already in discussion—and we look forward to sharing more with the industry very soon.”
Di Pace is joined in the cast of Before We Forget by Oscar Morgan (Gotham Knights, Peaceful), Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Succession, The Good Liar, She-Ra) and Sarah Parish (Mistresses, Cutting It and The Wedding Date).
The film is produced by Di Pace, Alvaro R. Valente (Bonnie, Mafia Mamma), Amanda Lenker Doyle and Guillermo Escalona (People You May Know) and Executive produced by Norman Lear (Fried Green Tomatoes, The Princess Bride) and Brent Miller (One Day at a Time, Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You).
Former Amazon MGM Studios and GFM Films exec Bussi – whose credits include films by Simon West, Terry Jones, Christopher Jenkins, Lars Klevberg, Oz Perkins and Billy Porter – launched Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment earlier this month.
The company will represent original productions as well as projects developed in partnership with international producers, including London-based Kirby Wilkinson Picture Company (The Pugilist), Italian-based Studio X01 (Escort Club), LA-based Twenty2 Films (North Star) and Amsterdam-based Global Film Partners (Boychoir, Kidnapping Mr. Heineken,The Windmill).
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