Marco Balsamo’s directorial debut ‘Forza’ has secured international representation through EST N8, which will present the film at TIFFCOM from October 28-30. The production will receive its first public screening on October 25 at Jakarta Film Week. The story follows Bima, an 11-year-old from Bali whose aspirations to become a professional footballer intersect with a former AC Milan player navigating the final years of his career.
The ensemble cast includes newcomer Ghazi Alhabsyi in the lead role, with appearances by director Balsamo, Tara Sibel Demren, Alessandro Costacurta, and Indonesian Film Festival winners Atiqah Hasiholan, Oka Antara, and Tio Pakusadewo. Balsamo wrote the screenplay and produced the film alongside Demren. Riva Studios originated the project and brought together producers including Ario Sagantoro, known for the ‘The Raid’ franchise. Adhya Pictures has secured Indonesian theatrical distribution rights, with release planned for 2027.
Demand for the Jakarta Film Week screening proved substantial, with both rounds of online ticket sales exhausting availability within five minutes at CGV Grand Indonesia. EST N8 executives highlighted the film’s cross-cultural appeal and universal themes regarding family and aspiration. The deal negotiations involved Balsamo and Demren representing Riva Studios against EST N8’s acquisition team. Jan Paul Villanueva will lead the sales effort alongside Cathy Ni and Shams Pasha.
Riva Studios, co-founded by Demren in 2022, operates across live-action, animation, and music production. The studio acquired French animation house TeamTO in 2024, making ‘Forza’ its inaugural live-action feature film. EST N8 operates offices in Los Angeles and Bangkok and has previously distributed titles across more than 100 territories, including Oscar-shortlisted and Emmy-nominated works.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI