EXCLUSIVE: Mandragora Group (Beyond The Hills) and Piano B Produzioni are teaming with helmer Giuseppe Tornatore for a documentary feature based on the life and work of legendary composer Ennio Morricone. Bobby Păunescu, Dragoṣ Săvulescu, George Shu and Serena Menarini are producing. Principal photography starts in August.

Tornatore first collaborated with Morricone on Oscar winner Cinema Paradiso. He is shooting interviews for the doc in several locales and filming a narrative piece alongside. Both the narrative and the interviews are designed to highlight a side of Morricone that has never been revealed. The narrative component will reconstruct key moments, anecdotes, and situations which have been essential steps of the artistic and personal path that Morricone’s life has taken.

The 86-year-old Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor and former trumpet player has written music for more than 500 motion pictures and TV series, as well as contemporary classical works. He’s been nominated for five Oscars and was given an honorary Academy Award in 2007.

Morricone has worked with such directors as Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, John Carpenter, Brian De Palma, Terrence Malick, Barry Levinson, Mike Nichols and Oliver Stone. His iconic scores have been heard in such films as A Fistful Of Dollars; The Good, The Bad And The Ugly; Once Upon A Time In The West; Days Of Heaven; The Mission; The Untouchables; Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!; and Bugsy. His work has also been used by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained.