Scott Foley (“Scandal”) has traded Washington, DC for Italy.
Foley helms Netflix rom-com”The sweet villa” as Eric, a successful businessman who travels to Italy to stop his daydreaming daughter (Maia Reficco, who recently made her Broadway debut in “Hadestown”) from restoring a crumbling villa. According to the logline, “However, Italy has other plans for him as it delivers on its legendary promise of beauty, magic and romance.”
Violante Placido and Giuseppe Futia also star.
Mark Waters (“Mean Girls,” “Mother of the Bride,” “Freaky Friday”) directs. Robyn Snyder and Deborah Evans are producing filmwith writers Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy executive producing. Hackett and Galanoy previously wrote “A Perfect Pairing” and “Falling Inn Love”.
The film is shot in Rome, Eastern Lazio and Tuscany, with the interior of the villa built at Cinecittá Studios in Rome. The exteriors were photographed in eastern Lazio at Torrino del Gelsi.
Foley told Tumdu that his character arc leads to his own discovery.
“He desperately tries to foster a new and different relationship with his daughter as this film unfolds. His initial determination – to save his daughter from making what he believes would be a huge mistake in buying property in Italy – turns out to be a kind of second chance at happiness for Eric, in so many ways!” Foley said.
Director Waters teased, “All I will say is that we meet both Eric and Olivia’s respective love interests, Francesca and Giovanni (Futia), right at the beginning, but our leads will have to overcome quite a few obstacles, both internal and situational, before they can settle into their happiness. As Francesca says in the film, “The road to true love is never smooth.”
Foley is also back on the small screen after her “Girls on the Bus” role with a guest appearance on “Will Trent.” The “Felicity” alum has said he would return for one possible restart of the Keri Russell series.
“La Dolce Villa” premieres on February 13 Netflix. Check out the trailer below.
