ACTOR and producer Luca Malacrino is on a mission to film a major Hollywood movie ‘that will put Wales on the map’ in Pembrokeshire.

The Coronation Street star has been planning to bring a Welsh comedy film to the big screen ever since moving to Los Angeles in 2014.

And Luca hopes to recuit big names such as Luke Evans, Michael Sheen, and Wrexham FC duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to help achieve his ambition.

A Sanctuary for Water Voles is an indie-comedy that follows an eccentric and quick-tempered Welsh family as they strive to bury the hatchet during an impromptu family reunion.

“Our ambition is to film in Pembrokeshire with an all-Welsh cast and crew, feature the Welsh language and showcase iconic cultural events like our National Eisteddfod,” he said.

“I made my writing partner Alex Hanno promise that we would develop a script that celebrates Wales in its entirety; our rich heritage, deep-rooted culture, language and landscapes.

“So in 2017 we embarked on a road trip around Wales asking every local we met from all generations to share with us their authentic stories about Wales and what it meant to be Welsh.

“Themes such as passion, pride and family stood out, as well as the idea of re-connecting with one another and overcoming family fallouts – all of which inspired us to develop our authentic Welsh story.”

Western Telegraph: Could the wide open expanses of Pembrokeshire be about to fit into the silver screen?Could the wide open expanses of Pembrokeshire be about to fit into the silver screen? (Image: Western Telegraph)

A former successful nightclub owner, Luca made a decision at age 21 to pursue his dream of acting.

He sold his Cardiff businesses to embark on acting workshops before receiving a scholarship to the prestigious Los Angeles’ AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts.

Within days of graduating, he started to earn credits across stage and screen, starring in Jim Carrey's I'm Dying Up Here, playing the son of one of his idols, Goodfellas’ Paul Sorvino in Criminal Minds Beyond Borders, and joined the cast of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic experimental ‘live cinema’ film project, Distant Vision.

Alongside his busy acting career, Luca co-created a production company, The Chameleon Effect, with writer and director Alex.

Together the team has created several critically-acclaimed works including their debut indie film Elephants and most recently, the political thriller movie A Social Contract.

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