Emilio Insolera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Emilio Insolera
Insolera at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival
Born	(1979-01-29) 29 January 1979 (age 46) Buenos Aires
Alma mater	Gallaudet University; Sapienza University of Rome
Occupation	Actor director producer
Partner(s)	Carola Insolera
Children	2

Emilio Insolera (born 29 January 1979) is an Italian deaf actor and producer. He is well-known for his superhero movie Sign Gene: The First Deaf Superheroes (2017). In 2022, Emilio also appeared in the movie The 355. From 2022 to 2024, he worked on films for big studios like Universal Pictures, Disney, and Paramount Pictures.

Emilio's Early Life and School

Emilio Insolera was born on January 29, 1979, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His family was Deaf and from Italy. His father, Alfio Insolera, made tools for cars, and his mother, Maria Cristina Drovetta Insolera, worked at a bank. Emilio is their youngest son.

In 1989, because of economic difficulties, Emilio's family moved back to Italy. They first lived in Sicily and then moved to different cities before settling in Rome. After finishing high school, Emilio moved to New York City.

How Emilio Got Interested in Movies

Emilio became interested in acting and filmmaking when he was a kid. He remembers that TV shows didn't have closed captions back then. He said, "our imagination filled the void of the dialogues that took place." So, his parents often took him to movie theaters or rented VHS movies. These movies were in their original language and had subtitles, which helped him follow the story.

Emilio's College Education

Emilio received a special scholarship called the Fulbright and Roberto Wirth scholarship. He earned his bachelor's degree in Film and Sign Language Linguistics from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. This university is the only liberal arts college in the world specifically for deaf students.

Later, he earned his master's degree in Mass Communication with top honors from the University of Rome La Sapienza. Even though sign language is his first language, Emilio can speak and read lips very well. He has an older brother named Humberto, who is also deaf.

Emilio's Career in Film

Tim Burton and Emilio Insolera in Tokyo

Emilio Insolera wrote, directed, and produced the full-length superhero movie Sign Gene: The First Deaf Superheroes. This film was shot in Japan, the U.S., and Italy. It's about deaf superheroes who can get special powers by using sign language.

Emilio told The Japan Times that the idea for the film started in Japan. He was amazed by Japan's future-like feel and how the Japanese language connects with sign language. He explained that Kanji (Japanese characters) are like concepts, and Hiragana (another Japanese script) helps connect them, just like finger spelling in sign language connects with conceptual signs.

In the movie, characters have amazing powers. For example, if they sign "finger guns," their hands can actually turn into real weapons that shoot fire! Or, if they sign the word "close," they can make doors close just by thinking it.

Making Sign Gene

Emilio was inspired by movies like Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982), Black Rain (1989), and the animated film Akira (1988). He first planned to make a short film. But many people became interested and wanted to help, so Emilio realized it could be a bigger movie. He then rewrote the script to be a full-length feature film. He found actors by word of mouth, specifically looking for people who were fluent in sign language.

The movie first showed in Milan, Italy, on September 8, 2017. It was released in theaters by UCI Cinemas on September 14, 2017. It premiered in the U.S. on April 13, 2018, and in Japan on September 14, 2018. The film was also shown at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

What Critics Said About Sign Gene

Sign Gene: The First Deaf Superheroes received good reviews from critics. Michael Rechtshaffen from the Los Angeles Times called Emilio's filmmaking "fresh" and "unique." He described the movie as a "fast-paced mix" of different film styles, with sign language and action scenes performed by deaf actors. He said the movie was "wildly inventive" and "empowering."

Giorgia Cantarini from ASVOFF said the story was "intricate" and "very fascinating." She noted that the sounds in the movie were surprisingly important and sometimes intense. Michela Trigari from Corriere della Sera said Sign Gene uses science fiction to "capture the imagination and make visible what is invisible to the eyes." The film has become very popular, with some calling it a "symbol of activism for the visual community" and an "unlikely cult classic."

Other Projects and Collaborations

In November 2018, Emilio Insolera was on the cover of Tokyo Weekender magazine. His photo was taken by the famous photographer Leslie Kee. Emilio was also featured on the main poster for Leslie Kee's 20th-anniversary photo exhibition "WE ARE LOVE" in Ginza, Tokyo.

Starting in January 2019, Emilio began working with Striscia la notizia, a popular Italian TV show. He helped produce various parts of the show. Striscia la notizia was the most-watched TV program in Italy in the spring of 2019.

In the same month, Emilio and Carola Insolera were featured in a fashion story in Vanity Fair Italia. Their photos were taken by Rosi Di Stefano.

In September 2019, it was announced that Emilio would join the spy movie The 355. He acted alongside famous stars like Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyongo, Bingbing Fan, Edgar Ramirez, and Sebastian Stan. Universal Pictures released the film in 2022.

Jessica Chastain, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress, helped Emilio get an audition with the director, Simon Kinberg. Emilio got the role of Giovanni Lupo, a hacker. Emilio said that his character, like many deaf people in real life, reached a high level on his own. He thought that maybe because of his deafness, Lupo faced more communication challenges and spent more time with technology, making it his "best friend."

In 2022, Emilio worked on the English voice acting for Disney's series Limbo. He voiced a deaf character in the show.

In April 2024, Emilio was on the cover of a photo exhibition organized by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Supermagazine. This exhibition showed 30 international celebrities wearing items from different LVMH luxury brands. Emilio wore clothes from Loro Piana. The magazine also included photos of his family, all wearing items from the same brand.

In July 2024, Paramount Pictures released Here After, a thriller movie. Emilio Insolera worked as a consultant for this film.

Emilio's Personal Life

Carola Insolera and Emilio Insolera (2018)

Emilio is in a relationship with Norwegian model Carola Insolera. They met in Tokyo. They have two daughters together.

Emilio's Activism

Emilio Insolera has worked with LISMedia and the Mason Perkins Deafness Fund to create many media resources in sign language. With researchers Elena Radutzky and Mauro Mottinelli, he helped create the first Italian Sign Language dictionary in a digital format. This dictionary is now available on DVD and as a mobile app.

Emilio's Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Videos

See also

In Spanish: Emilio Insolera para niños