HOPE LOST Makes World Premiere at 2015 Los Angeles Italia Film Fest Tonight

AMBI Pictures' Andrea Iervolino and Lady Monika Bacardi will present the World Premiere of their thriller "Hope Lost" at the 10th Annual Los Angeles Italia Film Festival tonight, February 20th inside Los Angeles' famous Chinese Theatre.

"Hope Lost" stars Mischa Barton ("The O.C.' "The Sixth Sense"), Danny Trejo ("Machete," "From Dusk Till Dawn"), Michael Madsen ("'Reservoir Dogs," "Kill Bill," "Donnie Brasco") and Daniel Baldwin ("Vampires," "Born on the 4th of July").

An intense thriller tackling prostitution and sex trafficking, the film is directed by David Petrucci from a screenplay written by Francesco Trento, Damiano Giacomelli and Francesco Teresi in collaboration with Loretta Tersigni. Additional cast include Andrey Chernishov, Francesca Agostini and Alessia Navarro.

"Hope Lost" is produced by Andrea Iervolino and Cosetta Turco in collaboration with Lady Monika Bacardi through their AMBI Pictures banner. Danielle Maloni is executive producer.

"Hope Lost" revolves around Sofia, a young Romanian girl who dreams of becoming an actress. One night at a club, she meets Gabriel (Andrey Chernyshov), who claims to be a producer and wants to cast her in a TV show he is filming in Italy. But after she arrives, she horrified to learn that she has been sold to pimps Manol (Michael Madsen) and MARIUS (Danny Trejo) and forced to earn for them as a prostitute on the street. The only glimmer of hope for Sofia is her friendship with Alina (Mischa Barton), and another young victim Eva. Things get darker with the arrival of Ettore (Daniel Baldwin), who makes a deal with the pimps to sell the girls off again to the highest bidder -- this time to star in a snuff movie, commissioned by a very rich and dangerous buyer

Following its World Premiere at the 2015 Los Angeles Italia Film Festival, "Hope Lost" will travel across the globe to Russia for its European Premiere at the Hanti-Mansiysk Film Fest on February 23rd. Lead star Mischa Barton is nominated for 'Best Actress' for her performance in the thriller.

AMBI most recently greenlit the James Franco-directed "In Dubious Battle" and introduced the film in Berlin at the European Film Market. Franco also stars in the film alongside Selena Gomez, Vincent D'Onofrio, Robert Duvall, Ed Harris, Bryan Cranston and Danny McBride. The film is based on John Steinbeck's gritty, realist style novel In Dubious Battle, which portrays the struggle between labor and capital in 1930s America as close to all out warfare.

Iervolino and Lady Bacardi just wrapped up production on the romantic comedy "All Roads Lead to Rome" starring Sarah Jessica Parker. The film centers on uptight Maggie (Parker) and her former Italian lover, Luca (Raoul Bova), who go on an exciting road trip across scenic Italy pursuing Maggie's rebellious TEENAGE daughter (Rosie Day) who tries desperately to return to New York while Luca's mother (Claudia Cardinale) is on a secret mission of love.

About AMBI - AMBI Group is a consortium of vertically integrated film development, production, finance and distribution companies wholly owned and operated by Andrea Iervolino and Monika Gomez del Campo Bacardi, Lady of Bayfield Hall, better known as "Monika Bacardi."

From offices in Beverly Hills, Europe and Canada, AMBI is dedicated to making and delivering high-end, commercial movies for global audiences. With a mandate to serve as a top-tier supplier of mainstream projects for both the studios and major independent distributors worldwide, AMBI pursues top Hollywood talent and international stars and produces six to eight feature films a year.

AMBI's impressive slate includes the James Franco directed "In Dubious Battle," which he also stars in alongside Selena Gomez, Vincent D'Onofrio, Robert Duvall, Ed Harris, Bryan Cranston and Danny McBride; the recently wrapped romantic comedy "All Roads Lead to Rome," starring Sarah Jessica Parker; Barry Levinson's acclaimed drama "The Humbling," starring Al Pacino; the sci-fi action thriller "Andron: The Black Labyrinth," starring Alec Baldwin and Danny Glover; an English language remake to Arto Halonen's award winning Finnish feature "Princess;" the thriller "Hope Lost," starring Danny Trejo, Mischa Barton and Michael Madsen; the action-thriller "2047 - Sights of Death"; and the animated feature films "Arctic Justice: Thunder Squad" and "East End."

A highly accomplished filmmaker and businessman, Andrea Iervolino has produced, funded and distributed over 40 feature films including "The Merchant of Venice" and "The Anatomist," top name a few. He is considered one of the youngest and most accomplished entrepreneurs in the Italian film industry.

Lady Monika Bacardi is the widow of Luis Adalberto Facundo Gomez del Campo Bacardi, Lord of Bayfield Hall, known as Lord Luis Bacardi (descendent of the Bacardi founder, still a family-run company). Renowned for her PASSION of modern art and love of photography and movies, Monika Bacardi is a highly successful businesswoman who is now committed to producing films, through AMBI, on top of her numerous philanthropic activities.

AMBI Group is active in the distribution of various movie projects in Italy and throughout the world through its satellite company AI Entertainment, a company Iervolino founded in 2011. Iervolino still runs this operation as well as several movie production and distribution companies in Italy, Spain and Canada.

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