Brunello Cucinelli accepted the Golden Globes Prize for Documentary on behalf of director Giuseppe Tornatore for the film “Brunello: The Gracious Visionary” at the Taormina Film Festival on Friday. The docudrama, which premiered at Cinecittà Studios in Rome and Lincoln Center in New York, is scheduled to screen next at the Shanghai International Film Festival as part of its world tour. It is set for theatrical release on July 24 in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland.
Cucinelli, known as Italy’s “King of Cashmere,” spoke to Variety in Taormina about the upcoming international screenings. He noted that prints of the film are being prepared in 16 languages, though his own voice will remain undubbed to preserve narrative nuances.
The film explores Cucinelli’s journey from a farmer’s son to leading a luxury brand valued at more than $7.8 billion. It highlights his philosophy of “humanistic capitalism,” including fair wages, Italian manufacturing and renovation of the village of Solomeo.
Cucinelli expressed optimism about the film’s resonance in China, citing his early business ties there since 1989 and shared cultural values around harmony and measured growth. He linked his work to historical connections between Italy and Mongolia, source of the cashmere used by his company.