THE APEX TIMES
Piperplay Boards Sales, Unveils Trailer for Venice and TIFF-Bound True Crime Drama ‘The City of the Living’
The Italian distributor Piperplay has taken on international sales and released a first-look trailer for Edoardo Gabbriellini’s true-crime feature “The City of the Living” (La città dei vivi), which is set for a world premiere in Venice’s Orizzonti competition and a North American debut at Toronto International Film Festival.
Piperplay has boarded international sales and released a trailer for Edoardo Gabbriellini’s true-crime drama “The City of the Living” (La città dei vivi), the company said in an exclusive announcement tied to upcoming festival openings. The film is slated to make its world premiere in Venice’s Orizzonti competition, followed by a North American debut at Toronto International Film Festival.
The project, which is described as freely inspired by Italian writer Nicola Lagioia’s award-winning, best-selling true-crime book, centers on the kind of real-world incidents that often draw public scrutiny in Italy and abroad. Deadline’s report ties the film’s release momentum to the festivals where buyers and press typically converge, positioning the sales push to start before the premiere window closes.
In addition to the sales launch, Piperplay unveiled the trailer on the same timeline as the film’s festival presence, giving distributors, exhibitors, and audiences a first look ahead of screenings. The move reflects a common strategy in the arthouse marketplace: establish visibility with a trailer and begin rights conversations early, then build demand around festival reception and press coverage.
“The City of the Living” is set to travel from Venice to Toronto within the festival calendar, moving from a Europe-focused competitive slot to a prominent North American platform. By aligning the sales rollout with those venues, Piperplay aims to reach companies and decision-makers attending both events, where acquisitions for international distribution are frequently finalized.
Lagioia’s source material and the film’s true-crime framing are central to the project’s positioning, according to the announcement. The description emphasizes that the feature is “freely inspired” by the book rather than presented as a strict adaptation, a distinction that matters for how audiences and rights holders assess the relationship between the literary work and the film’s narrative treatment.
With the trailer now public and sales underway, the next steps for the production revolve around its festival screenings at Venice and Toronto. Those appearances will be the principal public moments for industry and press, with the sales process continuing in parallel as the film’s visibility grows around screening dates and related coverage.
Why It Matters
- International sales launches timed to Venice and Toronto can affect how quickly companies lock in distribution rights for a film positioned for festival-driven visibility.
- Because “The City of the Living” draws on a well-known Italian true-crime book, the project’s framing and “freely inspired” approach may influence how audiences and rights stakeholders evaluate claims of fidelity to the source.
- A festival-to-festival path, from Orizzonti in Venice to TIFF’s Centrepiece, can shape press attention and buyer activity ahead of broader release negotiations.
- Trailer release ahead of premieres typically increases buyer engagement during the period when industry representatives are most concentrated.
Key Facts
- Piperplay boarded sales for Edoardo Gabbriellini’s true-crime drama “The City of the Living” (La città dei vivi).
- Piperplay unveiled the trailer for the film as part of its sales rollout.
- The film’s world premiere is scheduled for Venice’s Orizzonti competition.
- The film will have its North American debut at Toronto International Film Festival at the Centrepiece event, according to the announcement.
- The feature is described as freely inspired by Italian writer Nicola Lagioia’s award-winning, best-selling true-crime book.