Davide Luchetti

Davide Luchetti, born smack in the heart of Rome back in '71, is one of those producers who doesn’t always hog the spotlight but, man, his fingerprints are all over some seriously interesting stuff. He’s got this laidback Italian charm, the kind that makes you think he probably drinks his coffee standing at a bar, yelling at the news with the regulars. Anyway, Luchetti’s best known for “S Is for Stanley,” which is this quirky little documentary about Stanley Kubrick’s driver—yeah, Kubrick had a personal driver, and that story’s way wilder than you’d expect. Luchetti just has an eye for these off-kilter, real-life stories that somehow feel like fiction. Then there’s “Single Mom and a Baby,” which—let’s be honest—sounds like one of those run-of-the-mill TV movies, but he actually manages to pull some heart and authenticity out of it. He knows how to get people to drop their guard on camera, no matter if it’s a big, glossy production or something small and intimate. Oh, and don’t forget “Il supplente,” a project that doesn’t get nearly enough love. It’s got this sharp sense of humor, poking at the weirdness of Italian schools, and Luchetti’s touch keeps everything from getting too heavy. He’s not some flashy name, but he’s got that quiet, steady presence—sort of like the guy who makes sure the party doesn’t fall apart, even if nobody remembers to thank him at the end of the night. That’s Luchetti: solid, clever, and always a bit under the radar.