“Green Lava” has made history as the first film produced by the Vatican to be submitted for Oscar consideration in the 97-year history of the Academy Awards. Now, Hollywood Ventures Group has boarded the documentary short as executive producers.
Green Lava (Credits: Variety)
Hollywood Ventures Group Boards Vatican Film Green Lava
Hollywood Ventures Group — the production outfit and consultancy co-founded by former Amazon MGM Studios executive Glenn S. Gainor and industry veteran Sandy Climan — has joined the project. Gainor, Climan, Nelly Kim and Nabeel Laher are joining John Shufeldt MD as executive producers on the 39-minute film, directed by Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu.
What Is Green Lava About?
Produced in collaboration with the Vatican and set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Dolomites, the documentary short follows Giacomo Mattivi, a young Italian man living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, as he faces life without his brother Mattia, who has just succumbed to the same condition.
According to the film’s synopsis, defying societal expectations, Giacomo “challenges the limitations imposed by his condition and finds strength in his community and in the natural world that surrounds him.” It’s an inspirational story of resilience, grief and the mountains that give him solace.
Why the Vatican’s First Oscar Submission Matters
In nearly a century of Academy Awards history, the Vatican has never before submitted a film for Oscar consideration. That this milestone arrives via a short documentary about disability, brotherhood and the natural world — rather than a sweeping religious epic — makes the debut even more striking. With Hollywood producers now backing it, “Green Lava” heads into awards season with real industry muscle behind it.
Also Read: From ‘Hoop Dreams’ to ‘Flee’: The 20 Documentaries That Deserved a Best Picture Oscar Nomination
Source: Variety — read the full story there.
