Introduction to My Tennis Maestro
Playtime has achieved international sales rights for Andrea di Stefano’s film, My Tennis Maestro, starring Pierfrancesco Favino. The movie tells the story of a young athlete who teams up with an unconventional trainer. It is produced by Italy’s Indiana Production, Indigo Film, and Vision Distribution in cooperation with Memo Film, Sky, and Playtime.
Production and Distribution
The film is currently in post-production, with Vision Distribution handling distribution in Italy and Universal Images publishing it in France. Playtime will showcase the first images from the film in Cannes. The 11-million-euro budget ($12.5 million) film follows a 13-year-old tennis hopeful who is under pressure from his father’s weighty expectations.
The Storyline
The young athlete embarks on a training trip and a life-changing journey along the Italian coast with his coach, a washed-out former champion. According to Di Stefano, "My Tennis Maestro is a tribute to the mentors who appear unexpectedly, faulty, wounded, but full of heart." The film explores the themes of mentorship, perseverance, and self-discovery.
The Director and Cast
Andrea di Stefano, also known as an actor in films such as Marco Bellocchio’s Cannes competition title The Prince of Homburg, previously directed Escobar: Lost Paradise, starring Benicio del Toro and Josh Hutcherson. He also directed The Informant, starring Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Ana de Armas, and Clive Owen, and Last Night of Amore, in which Favino played the leading role. Favino is a familiar face in Cannes, having previously appeared in 2024 premieres Mary and The Number of Monte-Cristo, and this year, starring in the opening film Enzo.
Playtime’s Lineup
Nicolas Brigaud-Robert, co-CEO of Playtime, commented on the film, saying, "The lineup, the director, and the producers are first-class, and the story is irresistible, fun, tender, and ultimately over universal lessons." Playtime heads to Cannes with a slate that also includes Tarik Saleh’s Eagle of the Republic in competition and Thierry Klifa’s The Richest Woman in the World out of the competition.
