Animator's Family Pizzeria Legacy Inspires Film

Lino DiSalvo, a seasoned animator known for his work on Disney's 'Frozen,' is set to release his independent film 'Twisted.' The project draws inspiration from DiSalvo's own upbringing in Brooklyn, where his Italian immigrant parents expected him to inherit the family pizzeria. This personal history shaped the narrative of 'Twisted,' which follows an 18-year-old girl in Northern Italy's Camonica Valley who must confront her lies.

The film's storyline is rooted in a local Epiphany tradition where a townsperson dressed as the folkloric 'Badalisc' would deliver witty speeches about community gossip. In 'Twisted,' the Badalisc, exiled to the woods, reluctantly helps the protagonist navigate her deceptions. DiSalvo highlights the film's central message: while the balance between truth and lies is complex, deceiving oneself is never the answer.

DiSalvo, who spent 17 years at Disney, is spearheading this $15 million production outside the traditional U.S. studio system. He has focused on meticulous pre-production, developing the screenplay, animatic, and character designs before commencing full animation. This approach, involving studios in Montpellier, France, and Bologna, Italy, aims to streamline the process and maintain creative integrity with a smaller budget.

The film has secured distribution and sales across Europe and the Middle East, with efforts underway to expand into Asian territories and North America. Producers express confidence in independent distributors' demand for high-quality animated features, positioning 'Twisted' to fill a gap in the market beyond major studio releases.