She impacted millions, yet no one knows her name. The remarkable and largely unknown story of Francesca Cabrini, a poor, frail yet strong-willed woman from Italy who changed the landscape of immigration, education, and healthcare for generations of immigrants to the United States is about to become a movie.
Cabrini, which begins production next year and will be distributed via streaming services, will be shot in New York, and be directed by Alejandro Monteverde. Monteverde gained world-renown by winning the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival with his first feature film, Bella, a Mexican romance. The film is being produced by Jonathan Sanger, whose films (including The Elephant Man, The Producers and Vanilla Sky) have received three Academy Awards and twenty-one Academy Award Nominations, among numerous other awards. Backers of the film have established a 501(c)(3) which will redistribute film revenues to charitable organizations.
“We knew the story of Francesca Cabrini needed to be told, especially in the challenging times we are living through,” said Stephen Highsmith, Vice President for Institutional Advancement of Cabrini University. “People need hope, and this project will educate millions of people about Cabrini’s incredible humanitarian contributions, which we believe have increased relevance today.”
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