“Call me Levi”, a TV movie about the story of Levi Strauss, the inventor of blue jeans, will have its world premiere at the Film Fest München on 4 July 2024 as part of the “New German Television / Series” competition.
The series filmed in Piedmont for 36 days between September and October 2024. In addition to Turin, there are numerous Piedmontese municipalities involved thanks to the Regional Network of Film Commission Turin Piedmont: Ormea, Collegno, Chieri and Rosazza and Biella. As on many other occasions, the locations in the Piedmont area demonstrated their versatility, allowing the production to film a story set in Bavaria, San Francisco, and even New York in the region.
The role of local professionals in the crew is central, made up of approximately 30% of Piedmontese workers, including Enrico De Lotto (Location manager), Federica Bellocchio Brambilla (Location assistant), Giulia Capirone (Set decorator), Tzaddi Crociara (Props), Francesco Palmero (2nd AD), Leucotea Monti (casting extras) and Valentina Ciminelli (casting assistant extras). It is therefore a production project of notable valorisation of the Piedmontese territory and involvement of its workers.
The project is directed by Neele Leana Vollmar, who wrote the screenplay together with the well-known German author Robert Krause. The director of photography is Armin Dierolf, who lives near Padua and Berlin. We also highlight the participation of Vincent Redetzki in the role of Levi, Amy Benkenstein in the role of Levi's sister, Fanny, and Anton von Lucke, in the role of co-protagonist Jacob Davis.
“Call me Levi” is produced by Lieblingsfilm GmbH, with the executive production of Alessandro Passadore's Italian company Viola Film Srl, in co-production with Bravado Fiction N.V., and is made with the support of Film Commission Torino Piemonte and the contribution of POR FESR Piedmont 2014-2020 - Action III.3c.1.2 - “Piemonte Film TV Fund” call, together with IDM Film Commission Alto Adige and FFF Bayern.
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In 1850s San Francisco, in the wake of the Gold Rush, Levi Strauss, the son of a Jewish peddler from Upper Franconia, embodied the spirit of the American pioneers. Defying adversity, unscrupulous competitors, and numerous personal setbacks, he paved the way for blue jeans to become a global phenomenon.
The screening will include the episodes 3 & 4 of “Call me Levi”, introduced by a short summary of episodes 1 and 2. The screening will be held at 5pm at the Astor Film Lounge at ARRI – Munich, Türkenstr. 91.
