Director Mario Martone has revealed a first-look image from Scherzetto, his feature adaptation of Domenico Starnone's novel, starring Italian screen legend Toni Servillo. The film sees Servillo play Daniele, a celebrated illustrator whose peaceful solitude is disrupted when he must care for his unruly five-year-old grandson in Naples, prompting him to confront his own childhood ghosts. The project reunites Servillo with Martone, a Venice regular, ahead of the film's out-of-competition premiere at the festival.

Scherzetto will screen at the Venice Film Festival on 10 September, with Rai Cinema handling sales and sharing the exclusive still with The Hollywood Reporter. The cast includes five-year-old newcomer Lorenzo Perrotta as the grandson Mario, alongside Serena Rossi, Leonardo Lidi, Gianluca Di Gennaro and Giovanni Ludeno. Martone, whose 1992 debut won Venice's grand jury prize, previously collaborated with Servillo on 2021's Qui rido io, while Servillo returns to the Lido a year after winning the festival's best actor Volpi Cup for La Grazia. Mad Entertainment produced the film with Rai Cinema, and 01 Distribution will release it in Italy.