A Two part Trilogy of Award-Winning books by Canadian author Nino Ricci comes to the screen in the Canadian TV production of "Lives of the Saints", which tells the story of an Italian family from the horror of 1940's war-torn Italy, and the 1950's migration to Canada, to Toronto's swinging counter-culture scene of the late '60s, and climaxes in Italy where family secrets and sins are ultimately revealed.

"Saints" stars Sophia Loren and Fabrizio Filippo. Gemini-Award Jerry Ciccoritti directed.

The eight-figure production budget marked the biggest budget ever for any CTV original movie or mini-series.

Lives of the Saints, Part 1 airs Sunday, January 2, Part Two on Monday, January 3.

Will our Major US  Representative Italian American Organization be able to successfully petition our Major US TV Networks to bring this two Parter to the US ??
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"LIVES OF THE SAINTS" COMES TO THE SCREEN

CTV.ca
Thursday, December 30, 2004

The trilogy of award-winning books by Canadian author Nino Ricci comes to the screen in the CTV production of Lives of the Saints, which tells the story of an Italian family immigrating to 1950s Ontario.

Jerry Ciccoritti, who directed the mini-series which stars Sophia Loren, told Canada AM about his affinity with the main character, Vittorio, played by Fabrizio Filippo.

"It's like somebody else had written my autobiography. It dealt with everything I've lived as an Italian-Canadian," the Gemini-Award winning director said.

Lives of the Saints tells the story of the Innocente family, whose patriarch Mario comes to Canada to start a new life with his young son, Vittorio.

However, despite his move, he is unable to shake his feelings of shame and anger towards Rita, the illegitimate daughter of his late wife. As Rita grows up, she remains for Mario a permanent and unforgiving reminder of adultery and betrayal.

The two-part saga unfolds through time from the horror of 1940's war-torn Italy and the Italian migration to Canada, to Toronto's swinging counter-culture scene of the late '60s, and climaxes in Italy where family secrets and sins are ultimately revealed.

"It's just a big, rip-roaring melodramatic, soapy pot-boiler," Ciccoritti said. "There's passion, there's hate, blasphemy and love and adultery."

Filippo, who shares several scenes with screen-legend Sophia Loren, said he jumped at the chance to play Vittorio.

"With any movie like this, with any movie that's going to star Sophia Loren, it was a fight to get the part because it was a coveted role," he told Canada AM.

Loren stars as Mario's widowed sister, Teresa, who steps in to help raise his son.

"It was a dream, you know, for my family, at least. I get no more questions about why I'm an actor. Now I've made it and there are no questions," Filippo said.

The Italian-Canadian co-production was shot on location in Toronto and the surrounding countryside for five weeks then headed to Italy and an abandoned hillside village in Umbria for an additional four weeks of filming.

Its eight-figure production budget marked the biggest budget ever for any CTV original movie or mini-series.

Lives of the Saints airs Sunday, January 2 at 9 p.m. ET.
Part two airs Monday 8 p.m. ET.

Lives of the Saints comes to the screen
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