The gallery represents just one slice of Elkann’s life: Later this year she’ll make her feature-film producing debut with a movie directed by BAFTA-nominated Babak Jalali, whom she met at film school. The project weaves together four stories of everyday life in northern Iran. Elkann coproduced the as-yet-untitled movie with London banker Saadi Soudavar, who helped her seek financing from Iranians abroad. At press time the partners were hoping to submit it to this year’s Cannes film festival. “Ginevra has a sense of adventure, with a classic Italian ease,” says Soudavar. “She travels to places like Iran as if she were traveling in Europe.”
Elkann’s next few projects, it seems, will keep her closer to home. One is a new drug rehab center in Italy. “I’d like to do it on the American model, where you can spend months recovering—not years,” she says. (She acknowledges that Lapo’s stint at an Arizona clinic contributed to her idea but adds, “Addiction is around us in general.”) Meanwhile Elkann is finally ready to pay what may be the ultimate tribute to her grandfather: She’s going to learn how to drive. “It’s going to be a big year for me,” she says with a smile. “I’m tired of relying on someone to drive me around. I just want my freedom.”
