Hollywood Ventures Group Boards 'Green Lava,' First Vatican Film Submitted to Oscars

Hollywood Ventures Group has boarded "Green Lava," the first film submitted by the Vatican for Oscar consideration in the 97-year history of the Academy Awards.

The company, a production outfit and consultancy co-founded by former Amazon MGM Studios executive Glenn S. Gainor and industry veteran Sandy Climan, announced the deal exclusively to Variety. Gainor, Climan, Nelly Kim and Nabeel Laher join John Shufeldt MD as executive producers on the 39-minute documentary short, directed by Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu.

The film follows Giacomo Mattivi, a young Italian man living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. According to the synopsis, he faces life "without his brother Mattia who has just succumbed to Duchenne." It continues: "Defying societal expectations, Giacomo challenges the limitations imposed by his condition and finds strength in his community and in the natural world that surrounds him." The film is produced in collaboration with the Vatican and set in the Dolomites.

Is the Vatican actually competing?

Not quite, and the framing deserves scrutiny. Variety first reported in September that "Green Lava" is the first Vatican-submitted film in the Academy's history. But the short film categories do not require an official national submission or government endorsement, unlike the international feature race. So the film competes on its own merits; the Vatican label carries symbolism rather than procedural weight.

What the new partners say

In a joint statement, Gainor, Climan, Kim and Laher called the film "a moving testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the extraordinary power of hope." They added: "Lia and Ali have crafted a remarkable film that deserves to be seen by audiences around the world. We are honored to join our partners at Vatican News, Radio Vaticana, Vatican Media, Untold and Emotions to Generate Change in championing Giacomo's inspiring story."

Beltrami, who co-directs, produces and runs the company Emotions to Generate Change, said the collaboration will help "widen the tent," making Giacomo's message accessible to the world. She described "Green Lava" as "about walking together, living in community, and embracing authenticity" and called it "a hymn to life and an invitation to live every moment to the fullest."

Aksu, the film's other co-director and producer, was blunter. "Giacomo lives every day close to a line most of us spend our lives avoiding, and that closeness has made him more alive, not less," he said. "He is funny, stubborn, curious and fiercely present. Bringing his story to the screen alongside our partners at Vatican Media, as the first Vatican-produced film in contention for an Academy Award, has been one of the great honors of my life."

Credits and qualifying run

• Production: Emotions to Generate Change, with Vatican News, Radio Vaticana and Vatican Media
• Producers: Beltrami, Aksu, David Dubinsky and Dominique Appleby, both Los Angeles-based
• Oscar-qualifying run: Sept. 18–24 at the Lumiere Music Hall in Beverly Hills

Gainor previously held senior roles at Amazon MGM Studios and Sony's Screen Gems; Climan served as a senior executive at CAA, Universal Studios and MGM.

A company representative said HVG will serve "as a strategic producing partner, leveraging our global network to elevate the film's visibility, expand its reach, and explore potential distribution opportunities." No distributor has been named. "Green Lava" joins an HVG international slate that includes the upcoming Casablanca-set thriller "The Final Bet."

What does this change for the film? Visibility, certainly — HVG's network now fronts a title with no confirmed distribution. Whether the Vatican's historic first translates into a nomination depends on voters, not press releases.