Exclusive: Director Adam Leon Talks ‘Italian Studies’ at the Tribeca Film Festival [Video]

New York City-based filmmaker Adam Leon specializes in writing and filmmaking.

In 2012, he won a Grand Jury Prize at South by Southwest for his film Gimme the Loot, which premiered internationally at Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard). Leonard’s second feature film, Tramps, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 and was picked up by Netflix. Italian Studies, his upcoming movie, stars actress Vanessa Kirby.

Italian Studies tells the story of a writer losing her memory in New York City, trying to find her way home and meeting a group of strangers by chance, both real and imagined. A delicate mystery defying simple explanations is created with the help of form and narrative in Leon’s film. Kirby’s performance keeps the film grounded and lively, as she moves through the city with a confident sense of self, if not for a person. This film provides a glimpse of a pre-pandemic New York City that we all yearn for.

June 12, 2021 marked the world premiere of the film at Tribeca Film Festival. In this exclusive interview, Adam Leon tells the stories of the pre-planning of Italian Studies while also describing some of the scenes that he shot to craft this story to tell.

After the screening, guests Annabel Hoffman, Annika Wahlsten, Simon Brickner, TJ Junior, Wallace Dos Santos, Cailee Spaeny, Adam Leon, Lauren Colasanti, Fred Hechinger, Chris Arias, Mira Maxwell, Jamund Washington, Joshua Astrachan, Ellen Berkenblit and Joanna Rothkopf attended a fun after-party at the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Bar at The Diageo Cocktail Garden.