Francesca Gregorini, a filmmaker with a global perspective, was raised in Rome, Los Angeles, and the English countryside. Her unique background has infused her character-driven films with a sense of worldly sophistication, passionate storytelling, and a touch of the surreal. A Brown University graduate with a major in Theater Arts, Gregorini's early success in the industry included selling scripts to both HBO and Paramount before making her directorial debut with Tanner Hall in 2009.
The coming-of-age drama, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, follows the lives of four teenage girls at a rundown New England boarding school. Gregorini's bold filmmaking style, which blends elements of the magical and the surreal, brings depth and complexity to the film's portrayal of adolescent struggles.
Gregorini's follow-up project, The Truth About Emanuel, was released in 2013 and stars Kaya Scodelario, Jessica Biel, and Alfred Molina. The film tells the story of Emanuel, a troubled teenager who becomes obsessed with her mysterious new neighbor, who bears a striking resemblance to her deceased mother. As Emanuel becomes increasingly entangled in her neighbor's life, she unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world that she struggles to navigate.
The Truth About Emanuel premiered in the US Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival, solidifying Gregorini's reputation as a talented and innovative filmmaker.
