Anna Falchi was born Anna Kristiina Palomäki in 1972. She can credit her exquisite beauty to having a Finnish mother and Italian father. She grew up in northern Italy and began modeling as a teenager. She enjoyed a successful career as a model, staring in ad campaigns and pictorials for magazines all over Europe. But Anna is not just another pretty face, she can act, too! Anna's film credits range from horror movies like Cemetery Man to comedies like Paparazzi and her latest, "Sorry you can't get through." Anna's outgoing personality has not only helped launch her film career, but has also made her a popular hostess for Italian TV specials, including the annual San Remo music festival. Although she continues to grace the big screen as an actress, she is now building her career as a producer, working for a production company that she co-founded with her brother, Sauro. With this company, she hopes to help launch the careers of aspiring actors and actresses throughout Italy.
Anna was interviewed by Suite101 at the New York premiere of "Sorry You Can't Get Through." She was very down to earth, spoke great English and talked about her childhood growing up within two cultures as well as her work with Italian film maestro, Federico Fellini.
What was it like growing up in two cultures, with your mother from Finland and your father from Italy?
It was beautiful. I grew up in northern Italy, in Rimini. My parents were teachers, so it was never expected that I would become an actress. But they've always been very supportive. My brother is a producer and we have our own production company. So, it's great to work with him. I like producing because I enjoy helping young actors and actresses, and giving them the opportunity to work. Also, I don't always want to be on camera.
When did you start working as a model?
I started modeling when I was 14 years old. I would just do it on weekends. It was good for me because when I was a child, my family used to move a lot, so I was always changing schools and houses. Modeling gave me the opportunity to work and meet people, so there was no chance to be lonely.
Tell me about your first on-camera job.
The director was Federico Fellini. We spent 10 days working together on a commercial for a bank. It was shot in Rimini, so it was great to be home. He was very sweet. When he directed me, he told me to just be myself. He said that he wanted to work with me again, but sadly he died shortly after.
Tell me about your experience on this project, "Sorry you can't get through," and what it was like to work with Pierfrancesco Favino.
It was great to work with Pierfrancesco. He usually plays hard roles, but in this film, he was a little shy and funny. I really enjoyed working with him. I liked my character because she was not only a dancer, she had a big heart and also struggled with loneliness.
What do you think of Italian cinema today and roles that are being offered to women?
Well, we are not very international because we produce inexpensive movies. We have a few big directors who are successful outside of Italy, like Gabrielle Salvatores and Gabrielle Muccino. The starring roles usually go to men with supporting roles going to women. I think it's because younger people go to see movies and they prefer younger stories, not a woman's story.
- Anna is currently working as a producer with her brother on a film called, "Aspettando Godard", which is slated for a 2008 release. You can find Anna's previous films online at Amazon and Netflix. For more information about her latest film, "Sorry you can't get through", check out the American distributor, Medici films at www.medicifilms.com. There, you will find the dvd on sale as well as a list of theaters showing the film.
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