Franco Cozzo’s Megalo The Movie gets the green light
Megalo, Megalo, Megalo! Franco Cozzo is headed for the big screen with a feature film about Melbourne’s beloved furniture king to begin shooting next year.
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Megalo, Megalo, Megalo is going to the movies.
The famous catchcry of beloved furniture mogul and king spruiker Franco Cozzo will feature in a 90-minute documentary, titled Palazzo di Cozzo, being made by writer-director Madeleine Martiniello.
“I want to tell a story about an Italian migrant who came here with nothing and became a cultural figure in Melbourne,” Ms Martiniello told Confidential.
“I’m interested in exploring what drove this man to put himself in the public eye, and really connect from the community.”
The film was announced today by Screen Australia, which helping fund 10 docos, including the Cozzo project, and another work about former tennis champion Jelena Dokic.
Palazzo di Cozzo is Ms Martiniello’s first feature documentary.
She has spent the last few years researching and developing the doco, and boding with Cozzo before shooting starts in 2020.
“Franco has been really welcoming,” she said. “We’ve built a really trusting relationship. That gives us a feeling we can explore things that are beyond a public persona.”
But Ms Martiniello says his popular image isn’t made up.
“What you see is what you get,” Ms Martiniello said.
“What most people might not know is, he’s a real softie, a real sweetheart. He’s a real family man who really cares about the people around him.”
Cozzo, 83, will travel to his family’s hometown of Ramacca, Sicily, for the film.
“It could be the last time Franco — who is in his 80s — will be able to travel all the way back to Italy. It will be quite a meaningful journey for him,” Ms Martiniello said.
Of course, “megalo, megalo, megalo” will also be in the doco.
“There will be no escaping the jingle,” she said. “ We’ve got a lot of old archival versions of the ads from over the years.
“We’re going to chart the different iterations of the famous jungle. That will be exciting.”
And what’s the furniture like inside Cozzo’s home?
“It is like you would imagine,” Ms Martiniello replied. “He has some very beautiful Venetian baroque lounge suites in his family room. — perfect for the king of furniture.”
Cozzo starred in a 2013 indie film, Start Options Exit, alongside crime figure, the late Chopper Read, and pop star Tottie Goldsmith.
The film, a satirical exploration of Gen Y, was shot by Chris Mitchell and Yoav Lester.
Cozzo played a kidnap victim, Read an army-disposal store worker, and Goldsmith a kind-hearted hooker.
READ MORE:
‘HE DOESN’T LIKE FRANCO COZZO’
Cozzo said at the time: ``Acting is easy for Franco Cozzo. You act every day in business and in life. Sometimes you have to show to be happy when you’re sad.’’
The Dokic doco, titled Unbreakable, will be written and directed by Wayne Blair (Top End Wedding), and based on the tennis champion’s memoir, co-written with Jessica Halloran.