Valerio Lundini debuts directorial work Cambogia at Rome Film Festival

Comedian and actor Valerio Lundini presented his directorial debut, Cambogia, at the 21st Rome Film Festival within the Freestyle section. The film, which Lundini also wrote and stars in, blends crime and surrealism through a body-swap premise.

The plot follows an actor, Valerio De Nicolais, and his clumsy sidekick character, Tramezzino, from a popular crime series. Due to an inexplicable event on set, the two swap lives: the actor is thrust into a violent criminal underworld where prop guns fire real bullets, while the bumbling character finds himself navigating the luxuries and pressures of celebrity life.

Lundini described the concept as a surreal take on the body-switch genre, comparing it to a crime-oriented version of 'Freaky Friday'. The film features a cast including Benedetta Porcaroli, Gabriel Montesi, Giorgio Montanini, Andrea Di Maria, and Sonia Bergamasco. Cambogia is scheduled for theatrical release in Italy on March 18, 2027, distributed by 01 Distribution.