‘Milarepa,’ Drama Starring Harvey Keitel as a Buddhist Guru, Set to Open Boston International Film Festival

Shot on the island of Sardinia amid ancient megalithic stone constructions and set in a near future post-apocalyptic world, the English-language film is inspired by the famous yogi, poet and Buddhist saint called Milarepa, who lived in the 11thcentury and on whose life Herman Hesse based the novel “Siddartha.”

In “Milarepa,” Keitel plays a guru named Marpa who becomes the spiritual guide of Mila, a young girl (played by “Les Miserables” actor Isabelle Allen) seeking revenge for her father’s death. Angela Molina, Franco Nero (no relation to the director), Diana Dell’Erba (Netflix’s “The Leopard”), Mexico’s Iazua Larios (“Sundown”) and Italy-based Japanese actor Hal Yamanouchi (“The Wolverine”) also star.

Abraham, Allen, and Dell’Erba are expected on the red carpet at Boston’s Simons Imax Theatre for the film’s international bow.

On a timeless Mediterranean island, 12-year-old Mila’s peaceful and simple existence in her family home is disrupted when her father is killed due to an act of cruelty over inheritance money involving her aunt Khulan (Molina). Driven by a desire for revenge, Mila is convinced by her mother Daka (Larios) to travel far away to learn magical arts that can only be taught to men. Mila therefore disguises herself as a boy “tofind the true knowledge and magic needed to exact revenge on her father’s family for enslaving her and her mother and stealing their home,” reads the “Milarepa” synopsis.

“Milarepa” is a co-production between the director’s L’Altrofilm shingle, British producer Jake Seal’s Black Hanger Studio and Louisiana-based Orwo Studio USA.

Orwo Distribution is seeling the film internationally and will handle the film’s release in the U. K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Latin America, Australia and Japan. L’Altrofilm and PFA Filmsreleased the film in Italy in June.