Andrew Haigh's 'Charley Thompson' Arrives in Italian Theaters

Andrew Haigh's film 'Charley Thompson', originally titled 'Lean on Pete', is released in Italian cinemas on March 29 by Teodora Film. Based on Willy Vlautin's novel 'The Ballad of Charley Thompson' (published in Italy by Mondadori), the film follows 15-year-old Charley, abandoned by his mother and raised by his inattentive father Ray. In Oregon, Charley works for Del Montgomery, a horse trainer involved in illegal racing, and forms a deep bond with a racehorse named Lean on Pete. When the horse can no longer race, Charley embarks on a dangerous journey across America with him. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where actor Charlie Plummer won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actor. Plummer previously appeared in 'The Dinner' alongside Richard Gere, Steve Coogan, and Laura Linney, and played John Paul Getty III in Ridley Scott's 'All the Money in the World'. The film pays homage to 1970s cinema and explores themes of friendship, hope, and the search for home.