“OVERBOOKED” Takes Us Into the Chaos of a Small Italian Travel Agency Serving Moroccan Immigrants

Film to Premiere on Global Voices Series on PBS WORLD Channel Sunday, August 24, at 10 PM

SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(EMWNews – August 20, 2008) – Sergio Botto is a polite and professional

Italian travel agent; his colleague, Youssef El Idris, is a rough,

authoritarian Moroccan immigrant. Together they manage a diverse group of

people traveling from Torino, Italy, to Morocco. In telling their stories,

Sergio and Youssef provide a glimpse into their strange and respectful

relationship: a prime example of cultural integration.

“OVERBOOKED” will have its U.S. premiere on Sunday, August 24, 2008, at

10 PM on Global

Voices, a new series produced by ITVS International airing on

the PBS WORLD

digital channel (check local listings).

Every morning in their tiny travel agency, Sergio and Youssef face the

usual crowd of eager immigrants. The “ethnic agency,” as Sergio calls it,

offers all sorts of services; but to many, they are known for one reason

only: They organize the Sun Coach, the official bus connecting Torino and

Morocco. For those who make the trip, it’s not just a vacation, but also a

tangible symbol of success after years abroad and a way to maintain a

connection with their culture and pass it on to their children growing up

in Italy.

“OVERBOOKED” lets us see the chaotic, funny and sometimes tragic moments of

the agency. Originally just a smart business idea, the agency is now much

more than that. Over the years Sergio and Youssef have gained the respect

and trust of the immigrant community and have become an early example of

improvised and necessary integration between cultures. Youssef, who arrived

in Italy 15 years ago, controls the bus trips from bookings to departure

and is a respected point of reference for all Arab customers living in the

region. Sergio generally stays in the background and observes the crowd

from behind his eyeglasses, but steps in to counsel the customers on an

array of subjects, from filling out a job application to buying an

apartment.

“The film was born from my desire to explore the slow, silent changes

happening in the city I live in,” said director Stefano Strocchi. “Twelve

years ago nobody would have imagined that the city would have changed so

much, welcoming thousands of immigrants and reshaping itself with the new

communities. Through Sergio and Youssef and their relationship with their

clients, the small seed of a new world and how we are adapting to a radical

transformation of our social life is born.”

Filmmaker Background

Stefano Strocchi, Director

Stefano Strocchi was born in Torino, Italy, in 1975. He worked in the auto

industry and studied cinema and art history at Torino University. In 1997,

he moved to Montreal, Canada, where he developed his interest in cinema and

contemporary art, graduating from Concordia University with a degree in

fine arts and film studies. In 2001, he moved back to Italy, where he

collaborated with Stefilm as producer, production manager and assistant

director, working on international co-productions. It was during this time

that he developed his passion for storytelling through documentaries.

“OVERBOOKED” is his directorial debut.

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ITVS pressroom

For more information about the program, visit the companion

website