Andrea Iervolino


Andrea Iervolino is an Italian-Canadian film producer, entrepreneur and businessman.
In 2004, he made his film-producing debut in the United States co-producing The Merchant of Venice, which premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. Iervolino's film, In Dubious Battle was screened at the Capri Hollywood Film Festival and as well as the 73rd Venice International Film Festival.
Iervolino was named one of Variety's 2015 Dealmakers and a Producer to Watch in 2016. In 2016, he was an ambassador for Italian Cinema of the world for the Italian Contemporary Film Festival and the president of Ischia Global Film and Music Fest.
In 2013, Iervolino along with Monika Gomez del Campo Bacardi launched AMBI Media Group, an international consortium of vertically integrated group of companies encompassing all areas of filmmaking from development to distribution.
In 2018, he launched TaTaTu - a block-chain based platform, intertwining social media activity with entertainment viewing through which users are rewarded to watch movies, television episodes and other forms of content, and receive additional rewards from their friends' viewing.
Iervolino was awarded Knighthood of Italian Republic on June 18, 2018, by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella and the Italian Consulate of Canada for. This recognition is "the highest ranking honour of the Republic awarded for "merit acquired by the nation" in the fields of literature, the arts, economy, public service, and social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities and for long and conspicuous service in civilian and military careers."

Early life

Andrea Iervolino was born in Cassino, Italy, in the province of Lazio. His Canadian-born mother, Sonia, was adopted and moved to Italy at a young age. His father, Giovanni, was born rich in Italy but his grandfather had left the family business in inexperienced hands when he passed. Consequently, the family quickly went bankrupt.As a child, Iervolino had a stutter and was frequently bullied. Despite his teachers' recommendations, his mother blocked his transfer to a school for disabled children. He believes his stammer was triggered by the shock of his father's descent into alcoholism following the family's financial hardship.

Career

At thirteen, Iervolino launched a small tech business selling websites with his friends to local entrepreneurs in Cassino, where it was unusual to use the Internet for advertising. Following this success, Iervolino left home at the age of fifteen to work as a producer's assistant on Broadway-style shows in the resort town of Bibione, Italy.
In September of that same year, he returned to his hometown to produce his first film which was financed through crowd-funding from local investors willing to sponsor his project for small donations. A year later, he had produced his first film The Cavalier of Love.
After failing to distribute it in local cinemas, Iervolino began the initiative: Cineschool Day. This strategy involved adding his films into Cassino schools' curriculums giving students the opportunity to go to the watch the films during the day-time at a reduced price. The screenings would then be followed by social debates amongst their classes. For this purpose, Iervolino put together a library of films already in existence with strong social themes and proposed them to schools, complete with information brochures and ideas for how the students could debate. The initiative gained enough traction in the small town that former Italian Prime Minister and Senator for Life Giulio Andreotti attended as spokesperson from 2011–2012.
While in Italy, Iervolino met Luciano Martino who became his fatherly mentor and business partner before he died in 2013. Together, they co-produced several films including the aforementioned "The Merchant of Venice".
Following the launch of AMBI Media Group in 2013, Iervolino and his business partner, Monika Gomez del Campo Bacardi, went on to launch AMBI Distribution in Beverly Hills and AIC Studios in Toronto. Today, AMBI Media Group has offices in London, China, and Italy as well.
In 2015, Iervolino's company acquired 85% of the Exclusive Media Group film library in partnership with New York-based private equity firm Raven Capital Management granting licensing, sequel and remake rights to over 400 features including Begin Again, Cruel Intentions, Donnie Darko, End of Watch, Ides of March, Rush, The Skulls, Snitch, Undefeated, and Memento. These along with many more worldwide box-office hits are now listed in AMBI Exclusive's library and relicensed to clients around the world
Beginning in 2015, Iervolino and Lady Bacardi began the AMBI Gala Foundation and hosted the first annual AMBI Gala. The proceeds of the gala were given to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for investing in environmental causes. The gala was held just before the night of the TIFF in Toronto.
Iervolino is one of the first film producers to co-produce a film involving the Pope. Pope Francis appeared as himself in the film, Beyond the Sun, which premiered in Vatican City in September 2017. That year he also received an Honoris Cause Degree from Vasile Goldis University, in the city of Arad.

Selected filmography