Sean Baker teases a playful homage to vintage Italian sex comedies; Miguel Gomes has started production on Selvajaria (Savagery), and several distinctive auteur projects just won funding
The film world keeps shifting between reverence for cinema history and bold, modern reinterpretation. Filmmaker Sean Baker, fresh off major awards recognition, has signaled a surprising pivot: a self-described love letter to the infamous Italian sex comedies of the 1960s and 1970s. Baker’s intent, revealed in an interview with Variety, embraces the genre’s cheeky spirit while promising a contemporary director’s eye. At the same time, Portuguese auteur Miguel Gomes has moved his long-gestating project, Selvajaria (also known as Savagery), into production, adapting Euclides da Cunha’s novel Rebellion in the Backlands. These announcements illustrate how established and experimental filmmakers continue to alternate between homage and reinvention.
Baker’s upcoming film is being described as intentionally unpretentious, aiming to capture the playful, often racy tone of a bygone genre while updating its perspective for contemporary audiences. The director reportedly plans to begin shooting in 2026 and has been linked to actress Vera Gemma, who would bring a familial connection to the era through her father, Giuliano Gemma, a figure from classic Italian cinema. Observers are curious whether Baker will lean into the genre’s provocative elements with a modern sense of humor and awareness, perhaps offering more laughs and a different approach to nudity and sexuality than the original cycle of films.
Baker’s proposal reads like a cinematic postcard: familiar tropes reimagined by a filmmaker known for character warmth and social observation. The Italian sex comedy cycle of the 1960s and 1970s is often remembered for its broad comedic scenarios and risqué content; Baker’s stated aim is to celebrate that aesthetic while sidestepping the more problematic aspects of the originals. Casting rumors connecting Vera Gemma to the project add a layer of intergenerational resonance, since her father’s career overlaps with the era being referenced. With production eyed for 2026, the film will be watched closely by critics and fans curious about how Baker balances homage, satire, and contemporary sensibilities.
For Miguel Gomes, Selvajaria has been an obsession rather than a casual undertaking. The director has long described the film as challenging, noting the logistical demands of reconstructing a war-ravaged village and staging sequences evocative of late 19th-century conflict. Gomes confirmed to interviewers his intention to film in early 2026, and that schedule appears to have been respected: cinematographer Rui Poças posted on Instagram—attention later highlighted by industry observers—indicating production has begun. The adaptation chronicles the 1897 fight between the nascent Brazilian Republic and the inhabitants of Canudos, based on Euclides da Cunha’s canonical account. Gomes’ willingness to undertake such an ambitious historical reconstruction underscores his reputation for cinematic audacity.
Gomes himself has warned that Savagery would be “a tough film to do,” emphasizing the need for extensive set construction and the recreation of a damaged village. Such practical demands reflect the broader artistic question: how to translate a dense, politically charged historical narrative into a visual language that communicates urgency and tenderness. The presence of Rui Poças, a cinematographer with a track record in demanding visual projects, suggests Gomes intends to preserve the literary heft of da Cunha’s text while crafting a film with bold visual identity. Supporters of auteur cinema will watch closely to see how the production resolves those tensions.
Alongside these headline-making efforts, a recent Variety funding roundup revealed a clutch of distinctive projects that received backing, signaling confidence in auteur-driven cinema. Directors on the list include Hlynur Pálmason, known for The Love That Remains, who is developing On Land and Sea; Véréna Paravel, the co-creator of provocative works like Leviathan and Caniba, who will make Cosmofonia; and Laura Citarella, whose prior work earned attention at festivals and who is now working on Las Italianas. These titles underscore a continued appetite among funders for films that push formal boundaries.
Also on the funding list are Corneliu Porumboiu with a project titled The Costume, and Eduardo Williams, who cheekily follows his experimental trilogy—The Human Surge and The Human Surge 3—with a new entry called The Human Purge. The inclusion of these filmmakers highlights a broader festival and art-house ecosystem that still prizes originality, even when that originality is intentionally provocative or playful. Collectively, these greenlit projects suggest a landscape where established inventiveness continues to find financial and institutional support.
Between Baker’s genre-minded tribute, Gomes’ epic adaptation, and the slate of funded auteur films, the coming cinematic seasons promise a mix of nostalgia, historical gravity, and experimental daring. Each project carries distinct risks—whether tonal missteps in a genre homage or logistical hurdles in a large-scale period recreation—but they also reflect a vibrant moment in filmmaking where reinvention and fidelity to bold visions coexist. Observers and festival programmers alike will be watching production updates closely as these films move from announcement to screen.