The Lamborghini biopic from Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s AMBI Media Group, has landed Antonio Banderas for the starring role of Ferruccio Lamborghini, founder of the famous car that bears his name, with Alec Baldwin co-starring as rival Enzo Ferrari. Academy Award® nominee Michael Radford (The Merchant of Venice, The Postman) has signed on to direct the movie.
Andrea Iervolino and Monika Bacardi’s AMBI Group optioned the rights to “Ferruccio Lamborghini. La storia ufficiale (The official story)”, the biography written by his son Tonino Lamborghini, and are financing and producing a high octane feature biopic on Lamborghini’s extraordinary life. They tapped Academy Award® winning writer/director/producer Bobby Moresco (Crash, Million Dollar Baby, The Black Donnellys) to write the screenplay for the film.
AMBI Distribution, the worldwide sales arm of the AMBI Group, is handling global sales and will introduce the packaged project to buyers in Cannes.
AMBI plans to shoot ‘Lamborghini’ in Italy as well as other locations around the world that played a role in shaping the legend of Italian businessman Ferruccio Lamborghini. The film has a working title of Lamborghini – The Legend.
“The life and story of Ferruccio Lamborghini is potently epic in so many ways,” said Andrea Iervolino. “The screenplay that Bobby penned is a true masterpiece that reflects this story and now Antonio, Alec and Michael will bring it to life in a way only they can — original, sexy and universally commercial.”
Monika Bacardi added, “We can’t think of any actors better equipped to take on the roles of Ferruccio Lamborghini and Enzo Ferrari than multidimensional leading men Antonio Banderas and Alec Baldwin. This story of Lamborghini is not only about cars, corporations and remarkable careers. There is a particularly fascinating, but lesser-known private life of Lamborghini, and a beautiful love story that will be fun to see brought to life by Antonio.”
Tonino Lamborghini, son of Ferruccio and writer of several books about his father, declared “My book ‘Ferruccio Lamborghini. La storia ufficiale (The official story)’ is the only text perfectly respectful of the real life of my father, despite of numerous legends and anecdotes written or told by other people looking for a moment of celebrity. I really believe this film can translate into images and words the great humanity of Ferruccio and transmit to the viewers worldwide my father’s personality: a man full of energy, charisma and passion.”
The Lamborghini biopic spans the long life of the iconic entrepreneur, from the manufacturing of tractors (Lamborghini Tractors) at the start of his career, to creating military vehicles during World War II, and then on to designing and building the Lamborghini cars that ultimately defined his profound legacy.
The film tells an extraordinary multi-layered story of a man who helped an entire nation (Italy) get back on its feet after the horrors of WWII, designing a car that revolutionised the global automotive industry and gave much needed luster to the country at a pivotal juncture.
Lamborghini – The Legend is also a fiery love story. Ferruccio Lamborghini wasn’t known for being subtle. He was one the wealthiest men in Italy. A lover of fast luxury cars, Lamborghini had one car for each day of the week however Lamborghini’s personal loves extended far beyond cars. His love of women, celebrity lifestyle, and the business of car making made for prodigious drama in Lamborghini’s life and these pursuits and experiences will be just as much a part of the movie as the cars themselves.
