Filming is underway in Toronto on the feature The Cuban, written by Alessandra Piccione and directed by Sergio Navarretta (The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship).

Piccione and Navarretta are producing the project through their S.N.A.P. Films banner, alongside Degrassi: Next Class star Ana Golja (pictured) and Taras Koltun. A71 Entertainment is handling theatrical distribution in Canada.

The film stars Louis Gossett Jr. (who won the Academy Award for best supporting actor in 1982 for his role in An Officer and a Gentleman), Golja and Shohreh Aghdashloo (The House of Sand and Fog) in the leads roles, with Giacomo Gianniotti (Grey’s Anatomy), Shiva Negar (American Assassin) and Lauren Holly (Dumb and Dumber) in supporting roles.

The Cuban stars Golja as a young Afghan immigrant who has given up on her dream of becoming a singer. After being orphaned as a baby in Afghanistan, her grandparents send her to live with her aunt Bano (Shohreh Aghdashloo), who puts pressure on Mina to go to medical school. When she gets her first job in a nursing home, she meets a male resident with dementia (Louis Gossett Jr.) and later discovers that he was a famous musician in Cuba and music triggers his memories.

The film is executive produced by Ryan Kimel, Paul Golini and Aghdashloo, in association with Toronto’s 920 Films, and made with the financial support of Telefilm.

Piccione and Navarretta’s previous credits include the feature films Looking for Angelina and The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship.