Roberto Saviano to direct animated film adaptation of his graphic novel 'I'm Still Alive'

Italian writer Roberto Saviano will make his directorial debut with an animated film adaptation of his graphic novel 'Sono ancora vivo' (I'm Still Alive), co-created with Israeli cartoonist Asaf Hanuka. The announcement was made internationally by Variety. The film, produced by MAD Entertainment, Lucky Red, GapBusters, and SIPUR, tells the autobiographical story of a 26-year-old journalist sentenced to death by the Camorra for writing about organized crime. Saviano has lived under police protection since 2006. The screenplay is co-written by Saviano, Alessandro Rak, Filippo Bologna, and Stefano Piedimonte. MAD Entertainment's Luciano Stella expressed enthusiasm for the project, noting the studio's aim to create an animated film with a graphic style that engages a wide audience. Lucky Red's Andrea Occhipinti called Saviano 'a hero of our times.' Saviano has a long history with cinema: his book 'Gomorra' was adapted by Matteo Garrone (2008), and he wrote for the TV series 'Gomorra La serie' (2014), 'Zerozerozero' (2020), and 'Gaddafi' (announced 2017). Hanuka previously worked on 'Waltz with Bashir' (2008), directed by Ari Folman, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009.