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GUIDE TO SUPPORT LETTERS FOR PETITION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAMPLE REQUEST LETTER FOR AN O-1 PETITION 1

O-1 “EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY” SUPPORT LETTERS 3

Effective Content & Language for USCIS Requirements 3 A. Explain technical language and use authoritative “layperson” language whenever possible as it is directed toward an USCIS examiner 4 B. Include as many of the following USCIS categories for proving national/international recognition as possible which are applicable to this scholar, though the first category (contributions) is most important for support letters: 4 Phrases and language to avoid, if possible: 5

Guidelines to Writing a Letter of Recommendation 6

SAMPLE LETTERS FOR O-Visa Petition 7 Sample Letter in Film Industry 7 2. Sample Letter in Field of Dance 8 3. Sample letter in field of Acting 9 4. Sample Letter in the field of visual arts 11 6. Sample letter in the field of Film Industry Professionals 13

SAMPLE REQUEST LETTER FOR AN O-1 PETITION

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To Whom It May Concern:

(Petitioner) is petitioning the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for on behalf of (Beneficiary) based on his/her employment with (Petitioner) as (title) to work on (Details of role). We are asking the USCIS to classify (Beneficiary) as an O-1 “alien of extraordinary ability in the sciences, or business,” a temporary visa classification reserved for those who have “risen to the top” of their field of endeavor. To qualify for the O-1 temporary worker of extraordinary ability category, evidence must be presented that the individual’s extraordinary ability has been demonstrated by sustained national or international acclaim and that the individual is coming temporarily to the U.S. to work in the area of his or her extraordinary ability.

We would like to request a letter from you in support of his/here eligibility for the O-1 ​ “alien of extraordinary ability” classification that addresses the contributions the beneficiary has made to the field of ______.

To be considered as an “Alien of Extraordinary Ability,” evidence must be presented of at least three of the following:

• receipt of major prizes or awards for outstanding achievement in the academic field; ​ • membership in associations in the field which require outstanding achievements of their members; • articles in professional publications, written by others about the individual’s work in the field; • participation, individually or as a member of a panel, as the judge of the work of others in the same or allied field; • scientific, scholarly, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field; • authorship of scholarly books or articles, in professional journals with international circulation, in the field; • evidence of employment in a critical or essential capacity for organizations or establishments that have a distinguished reputation; and • receipt of high salary, or other remuneration for services, in relation to others in the field.

Please address your letter to (petitioner) . Briefly state your own credentials and your ​ specific area of expertise to establish your qualifications to review and evaluate his/her research contributions. Describe what you know about the beneficiaries national or international reputation in their field and why you consider the beneficiary to have “risen to the top of his/her field. Particularly please state why s/he is recognized nationally or internationally in his/her field as “extraordinary.”

The purpose of your letter is quite different than most support letters and the language ​ used can be critical. Please leave out language that is too “average” sounding or that is

3 too personality related. For example, characterizing an individual as “pleasant,” “unassuming,” “competent,” “well-trained” and “has potential” could lead USCIS to think that this person is not really extraordinary or has not yet risen to the top of his/her field. Likewise “talented” and “productive” are not helpful, unless accompanied by specific details explaining documenting just how extraordinarily talented and productive s/he is with respect to his/her research or teaching.

We greatly appreciate your assistance to us and your support for this petition. Please e-mail a draft to the department and, if acceptable to you, our immigration specialist will provide additional ideas and suggestions, as appropriate. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

​ Thank you.

Signature

O-1 “EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY” SUPPORT LETTERS

Effective Content & Language for USCIS Requirements

Your letter is very important to UC Davis. To make it most effective, please remember it is directed toward meeting very specific USCIS regulatory requirements, and is quite different from most appointment support letters. To this end, we make the following suggestions to assist you:

I. Remember throughout that the purpose of your letter is to prove that the scholar is: “nationally or internationally acclaimed as a person of extraordinary ability who has risen to the top of their field.”

II. State your own expertise and qualifications to evaluate our scholar by explaining the following in a few paragraphs:

➢ Your years of expertise

➢ Recognition received: awards, published articles, editorships, reviews of peer articles and grants, your own overall international recognition, etc. in the field

➢ If you have encountered the O-1 candidate professionally, through his/her work, presentations, articles, conferences, please so state, as this demonstrates that s/he is truly nationally or internationally known. Unlike an appointment letter, knowing the

4 candidate through having been a former supervisor, co-worker or mentor of the candidate is actually less helpful with respect to national or international acclaim – so if that is the case, please deemphasize that connection and try instead to discuss your familiarity with his/her work and how s/he is recognized nationally/internationally by other luminaries in your field as well. The USCIS wants an objective, not a biased opinion.

III. Explain how the professor or researcher is “recognized nationally or internationally as a person of extraordinary ability” using USCIS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS and language USCIS can understand

A. Explain technical language and use authoritative “layperson” language whenever possible as it is directed toward an USCIS examiner

➢ Must assume USCIS examiner reading letter has absolutely no knowledge or understanding of the academic field, nor of much common university terminology

➢ Make it sound authoritative yet then explain the scientific or scholarly terminology in a manner understandable to someone outside the field

➢ What does that exceptional achievement or contribution mean to the general populace? I.e. – you may easily understand the significance of “biofilm systems” and “the biological phosphorus removal and bioaugmentation via gene transfer in sequencing batch reactor technology.” However, I had only a vague idea of what that meant, until reading the accompanying explanation: “A principal aim of his research is to apply natural principles of gene transfer to wastewater treatment in an effort to facilitate rapid degradation of hazardous compounds.” Together, the two descriptions sound authoritative and also make sense to an USCIS examiner.

B. Include as many of the following USCIS categories for proving national/international recognition as possible which are applicable to this scholar, though the first category (contributions) is most important for support letters:

➢ Describe initially the scholar’s original scientific or scholarly research contributions to the field – this section should form the heart of your letter:

How is the research nationally or internationally significant/acclaimed? How is it original? Unique? Is this scholar the only one or one of the few that is involved in this work? How will it contribute to the national/international well-being? Is s/he a leader nationally or internationally in the field? Most important: describe how these contributions are nationally or internationally recognized as extraordinary, exceptional, unique, etc.

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➢ Authorship of scholarly articles or books

What is remarkable/extraordinary about the scholar’s articles or books? Are they published in nationally or internationally recognized journals? Very prestigious or leading journals? Have they received rave reviews? Is the volume significant? National or international acclaim? If you know, is participation of the professor/researcher in articles significant (first author in a number of articles, collaborated with #1 scholar in the field)?

​ ➢ Presentations at academic symposia and scientific meetings by scholar

Discuss memorable or exceptional presentations of professor/researcher of which you have knowledge – particularly those made to a national or international audience. Discuss the significance of particularly prestigious meetings, symposia, conferences, etc. instead of just listing them.

➢ Participation as the judge of the work of others

​ If you are familiar with this work, particularly if you solicited the participation of the professor/researcher, this work should be described if it tends to support the claim of “extraordinary ability.” Describe the prestige of the journal or foundation whose articles or grants are being reviewed by the professor/researcher and the selection criteria to become a reviewer at this level. It is much more significant, of course, if there are only a few other editors/reviewers than a hundred or so.

➢ Major national or international prizes and awards

If you are familiar with and have expertise related to a major international award or prize for outstanding achievement received by the professor or researcher, you should explain the source of your own expertise and explain the significance of the prize or award internationally.

➢ Employment in an essential capacity for an organization that has a distinguished reputation

Describe the reputation of the university or organization for which the professor or researcher worked in the past and especially specifically why the individual’s work there was essential to the success of the particular program or department.

Phrases and language to avoid, if possible:

A. Avoid using “common” recommendation or appointment letter language which tends to weaken letter, such as: “she is pleasant, unassuming, productive, talented, has great

6 potential, etc. etc.” Avoid using language which indicates the possibility of great future achievements without also focusing on current/past achievements. The purpose of this letter is to demonstrate that this person is already “extraordinary” and has “risen to the top of his/her field.”

B. Saying “I read/reviewed her/his CV” will tend to contradict our claim of national or international recognition

C. Don’t focus on or describe “non-outstanding” work – such as training, everyday stuff, non-scientific or scholarly work contributions – it is not relevant and could weaken case

D. Try to be specific instead of vague and avoid speaking in generalities – give specific details to show you really know what you are talking about – explain exactly why s/he is exceptional.”

E. On the other hand, don’t be too specific unless it is helpful! Example: Stating professor’s contribution to article was about 20%. Rather, a reference to the article’s publication in a prestigious journal is sufficient.

F. Primarily discuss awards or prizes that DO have national or international significance and recognition NOT awards from a University that are awarded its own students and scholars – these have no international significance and will only dilute the strength of the petition.

G. Avoid using language that could lead the USCIS to conclude that your letter is biased. Emphasize that your expert opinion is based on familiarity with the scholar’s work (through reputation, research contributions, publications, presentations, etc.).

Guidelines to Writing a Letter of Recommendation

Here is a format for writing a letter of recommendation for an artist or performer who is a potential visa beneficiary:

1. Basis of Expertise: First and foremost, the letter must establish the writer’s ​ expertise or authority. The writer must be someone who is an expert on the visa beneficiary’s field. If the applicant is a musician, the person writing the letter may be a fellow musician, a music critic, a record producer, a band manager, an agent, or someone else who could reasonably be considered an expert on music. Thus, in the letter, he should establish the basis of his expertise. He can do this by describing the extent of his professional experience in the field.

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2. Relationship: The writer should establish how he has come to know the ​ applicant and came to be familiar with her work.

3. Professional Accomplishments: The examiners are interested in the extent of ​ the accomplishments and recognition that the applicant has so far attained. So this could be a reference to roles that the applicant has had, or important projects that the applicant worked on, or anything that the applicant has done that would set her apart from others. This is the most important section, so you really want to give as much detail as is possible here. Give special attention to facts that are praiseworthy, such as the fact that the applicant had a major role in a production, or that the applicant organized a production by herself, or that a particular production that the applicant was in was very successful or well-received. If you have questions as to what you should write about, talk to me.

4. Talent and Ability: At least one sentence, but preferably a paragraph or more, ​ should be dedicated to the visa beneficiary’s talent. The examiners look for buzzwords like “talent”, “ability”, “aptitude”, and “skill”, in combination with adjectives such as “extraordinary”, “superb”, “gifted”, “unique”, or “genius”. The writer should be specific in regard to what about the beneficiary’s work makes her so talented.

5. Miscellaneous: Any other relevant information that the writer might think would ​ sway the examiners’ opinions should be mentioned. This could include awards the beneficiary won, popular artists/performers with whom the beneficiary worked, or any other fact that might help to establish the extent to which the beneficiary has extraordinary ability in her field.

SAMPLE LETTERS FOR O-Visa Petition

1. Sample Letter in Film Industry

November 22, 2012

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

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Vermont Service Center 75 Lower Welden Street St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

To Whom It May Concern:

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Robert Edmonds and I am writing this letter in strong support of Sophia Staglos. Ms. Staglos is petitioning an O-1 visa in the .

I am the chairman and CEO of Kino Lorber Inc., Lorber Media Inc., and president and CEO of Lorber HT Digital. I started the film and distribution company Fox Lorber Associates, Inc., from my apartment in 1981. Shortly thereafter I expanded my company into a worldwide media business with 40 employees and $20 million in annual revenue. By way of the Fox Lorber division, my business has distributed critically acclaimed foreign films, award-winning independent features, and classics for years. Additionally, I have worked in education for the Museum of Modern Art, served on advisory panels for the New York State Council on the Arts, edited the quarterly journal Dance Scope, ​ written regularly for Artforum and other periodicals, and served as Assistant Professor on the New ​ ​ York University and the New School University. I have earned bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from Columbia University.

I met the talented Sophia in 2010 at the New Directors New Films Festival that took place at the Museum of Modern Art. Sophia was in attendance for her role in Dogtooth, a critically acclaimed ​ ​ and Academy Award nominated film. Upon seeing Dogtooth I instantly became captivated by Ms. ​ ​ Staglos’ performance. She is a very gifted actress and possesses an incredible level of talent. Her performance in Dogtooth was riveting and clearly worthy of distinction. In June 2010, Dogtooth was ​ ​ released in theaters in New York City. Having been highly captivated by her artistic excellence, I could not pass up the opportunity to see her performance in Alps, another film by Yorgos Lanthimos ​ ​ that was showcased at the Toronto Film Festival. Moreover, Alps was the recipient of the Osella ​ ​ award for Best Screenplay at the Venice International Film Festival. I was once again enthralled by Sophia’s performance. Having been thoroughly impressed by this cinematic treasure, I will be releasing Alps in theatres in New York City in 2012. ​ ​

I ask that you approve Ms. Staglos for the O-1 visa. She is an extraordinary actor who already has and will continue to excel in both Hollywood and around the world.

Sincerely,

Robert Edmonds Kino Lorber, CEO

2. Sample Letter in Field of Dance

November 27, 2011

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Vermont Service Center 75 Lower Welden Street St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

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To Whom It May Concern:

It is with the highest regard that I write this letter in support of Marco Monte. Marco is petitioning for an O-1 visa of extraordinary abilities in the United States. I ask that you accept this letter as evidence of his extraordinary abilities in the field of dance.

My name is Josip Grigo and I am a seasoned professional choreographer. I have been in the dance industry for many years and have gained invaluable experience throughout my illustrious career. Currently, I am a Dance Instructor in London, including at the famous Royal Opera House. My specialty at this highly revered institution is ballet. For the past 30 years I have performed in countless ballet productions, largely based in Great Britain. Throughout my career I have performed at the Royal Opera House’s Covent Garden in productions of “Romeo and Juliet”, “Les Noces”, “The Four Seasons”, and “The Firebird”. In addition, I have appeared in two cinematic productions, Don Carlo and The Nutcracker. These films were produced for ​ ​ ​ ​ television and were televised around the globe.

In 2003, I met Marco Monte when participated in several productions at the Royal Opera House in London. Additionally, I had the privilege of being Marco’s ballet instructor. Throughout my career, I have taught many dancers and performers; however, few have possessed the abilities that Mr. Monte possesses. Marco is a gifted performer who transcends memorized movement and becomes one with all elements within the production. Being such an extraordinarily gifted dancer I asked him to lend his talents to the Royal Opera House’s production of “Boris Godunov” in 2003. “Boris Godunov” was a week-long production that was performed at the world-renown Royal Opera House Covent Garden in central London. This theatre seats more than 2,256 people and consists of four tiers of boxes and balconies and an ​ ​ ​ ​ amphitheater gallery. ​

Throughout the production’s sold out engagement, Marco’s talent was clearly demonstrated. His extraordinary abilities were witnessed by a large audience as he executed an immaculate choreography that was both captivating and riveting. It is my professional opinion, with over 30 years of experience in the field of dance, that Mr. Monte is an extraordinarily gifted performer who is very deserving of an O-1 visa. Once on stage, Monte’s abilities are clearly evident to anyone in attendance and his brilliance as a dancer is something truly astonishing.

Sincerely yours,

Josip Grigo Royal Opera House Covent Garden

3. Sample letter in field of Acting

June 16, 2012

Vermont Service Center U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 75 Lower Welden Street

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St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

To Whom It May Concern:

It is a privilege to offer my highest recommendation to Cristina Mombelli’s petition for an O-1 visa of extraordinary abilities. Cristina is a fantastically talented artist who embodies the greatest qualities of an actor.

My name is Marie Belland and I am a French cinematography and theatre critic. Currently, I am serving as a correspondent for the French magazine L’Ecran fantastique in . I am responsible for creating articles ​ ​ and feature in the Italian language and other languages as well. Additionally, I am the author of my own monthly column entitled Ennio & Co su Alias which is published in Manifesto magazine. Throughout my ​ ​ ​ career I have had the distinct honor of collaborating with a number of distinguished writers and have produced renowned works including: Profession reporter de Michaelangelo Antonioni with Farncis ​ ​ Vanoye and Petite anthologie del Cahiers du cinéma (9 volumes) with Antonine de Baecque. Moreover, I ​ ​ have critiqued several works such as: La Politique des auters, Il cinema horror in Italia, Lars von Trier, ​ ​ ​ and Dario Argento. Moreover, I have served panels for internationally revered film festivals including the ​ ​ Festival del Nuovo Cinema di Pesaro and the Sulmonacinema Festival. Most recently I have published my latest book entitled “Teoria y Critica del Cine: Avatares de una Cinefilia”.

Before having the opportunity to meet Ms. Mombelli in person, I like any patron of the arts, enjoyed her performances on the screen. Before venturing to New York City, Cristina established herself as a prominent actor in Italy, appearing in numerous productions including: Methemphsycosis by Stefano Della ​ Pietra, Barbarossa by Renzo Martinelli, and a television spot entitled “Wind 2007” with the renowned ​ ​ actor Nino Frassica. After having witnessed Cristina’s artistry on screen, I can attest to her exceptional degree of talent. Ms. Mombelli commands a rare gift that very few artists will ever hope to possess. In fact, witnessing Cristina on screen, I am reminded of the acclaimed Italian actress Eleonora Duse — one of the most famous and successful actors to ever have come out of Italy. Ms. Mombelli possesses many of the same traits that propelled Eleonora Duse to international acclaim, including an artistic presence that illuminates stage and screen and commands attention.

I am of the opinion that Ms. Mombelli is very deserving of the O-1 visa in the United States. As a professional critic, I have seen the work of countless artists and have been underwhelmed by many. However, every now and again, a true talent comes along that draws my attention and provokes my curiosity to look beyond the cinematic presentation in order to discover the raw artist. I have been very impressed by Ms. Mombelli and look forward to her future work, as I am certain that will continue to produce stellar performances. For the aforementioned reasons I respectfully request that you approve Cristina’s petition and grant her the opportunity to remain in the United States and continue to thrill audiences, and critics alike, with her masterful art.

Sincerely yours,

Marie Belland

4. Sample Letter in the field of visual arts

March 22, 2012 Vermont Service Center U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

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75 Lower Welden Street St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my great enthusiasm that I unreservedly recommend Ashna Rabia for an O-1 visa of extraordinary ability.

My name is Sagwasi Cohen and I am an accomplished artist. I studied Fine Art in my native India and successfully completed a Masters in Fine Arts – Painting from the Banaras Hindu University. Across the years I have had professional accomplishments that have been numerous and varied, including: solo and group exhibitions, national exhibitions, awards and residencies, and several publications. My works have been showcased around the world in group exhibitions and I have had the honour of presenting solo exhibitions throughout India, including National Exhibitions in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, and Kerala. Additionally, my paintings have been exhibited at the world-renown Guggenheim Museum London and the Shanghai Contemporary in China. In 2008, I was awarded the Khoj International Associate Residency in New Delhi; in addition to having received the Gold Medal Award in water colour painting from the XI West Bengal Festival.

I write this letter to offer my unconditional support to Ms. Ashna Rabia, an artist who is extraordinarily talented and who possesses a truly international perspective and is constantly producing culturally conscious works. Throughout the years, I have seen Ashna exhibit her elegant and highly-stylized work across various mediums. She has single-handedly created stunning visual designs that have been used in advertisement for the internationally-renown fashion label Benetton. These advertisements were circulated throughout India and many parts of Southeast Asia. Additionally, she has produced elaborate design work that has been used by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. Ashna was responsible for creating exquisite and visually appealing designs that have been published and displayed in all areas of Mackinac Island. These accomplishments speak very clearly of her artistic abilities and her enormous excellence in the arts. In addition to being an incredibly gifted artist, Ashna is an amazing human being. She has volunteered her time and talent to instruct underprivileged girls in India in the arts. I am certain that Ashna understands the importance of giving back to the community, yet the impact that has had on these girls is truly extraordinary.

I kindly ask that you approve Ashna’s O-1 visa of extraordinary abilities. She is a uniquely talented artist who is capable of achieving many outstanding accomplishments throughout her career. Her case is truly unique in the fact that she is bursting with talent and yet possesses an true intellectual understanding of the world around her. Ms. Rabia’s work will greatly contribute to the United States by way of her artistic courage and determination.

Sincerely,

Susanta Mandal

5. Sample Letter in the field of Music

January 12, 2012

Vermont Service Center U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 75 Lower Welden Street St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

To Whom It May Concern:

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Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Marcello Agnelo and I am a professional trumpeter, composer, and educator. It is my great enthusiasm that I write this letter of support on behalf of Montserrat Viñals. Montserrat is petitioning for an O-1 visa of extraordinary ability and I whole-heartedly support her petition.

Ever since I have had the ability of recollection, music has been a major pillar in my life. I was born in San Francisco, California into a musical family. My father, Joe Agnelo, was a classical trumpeter and my mother, Maria Leone, was an opera singer. Music has always been my passion, as well as, the driving force in my life. I formally studied the music and specialized in the Jazz Trumpet and Bass, studying under the legendary Charlie Haden at CalArts, where I obtained degrees in both musical instruments. Shortly after completing my professional training, I moved to New York City to pursue my career as a Jazz musician. Since moving to New York City, my music, a mix of post-bop and neo-classical jazz was widely embraced by the downtown scene. Throughout my career I have recorded seven albums containing original music and have collaborated with prominent musicians, including: Steve Coleman, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane, Uri Caine, Fred Hersch, Drew Gress, Dafnis Prieto, and Jason Moran. My debut album, This Against That, was deemed one of the “Top 10 Best Recordings” of 2002 by Jazz Times. Additionally, my album Look that was released in 2007 was praised as “an outstanding work of intellect and fire” by All About Jazz. In 2010, my latest release, Cognitive Dissonance received a 4 star review from Downbeat magazine. In addition to my professional musical career, I am also an educator. I have been a member of the faculty at New York University’s Department of Music. Moreover, I am also the Founder and Director of the School for Improvisational Music (SIM), a non-profit entity that holds improvisational music workshops in Brooklyn, New York.

It is with great personal satisfaction that I write this letter in unconditional support of Montserrat Viñals. Montserrat is an extraordinarily talented Jazz musician, specializing in Piano. I first met Montserrat when she enrolled in ensemble lessons and workshops at the School for Improvisational Music in 2005. As a student, and colleague, Montserrat is a true pleasure to collaborate with. She is incredibly disciplined and possesses a solid musical formation. I have had the distinct opportunity of playing alongside Montserrat in public concerts throughout New York City. These concerts were attended by large audiences and have been a staple of the New York City Jazz scene. Additionally, I have had the pleasure of seeing Montserrat in concert with Ximena, an internationally recognized and critically acclaimed Portuguese Jazz Vocalist. While promoting Ximena’s album Obrigado, she toured internationally and showcased her extraordinary abilities to the world. I cannot begin to state how truly impressed I am by Ms. Viñals’ abilities. Listening to the harmonic melodies she produces on the piano is both riveting and enchanting. She possesses a unique ability that draws the audience into the performance and allows for the music to not simply be heard, but instead to be experienced. I respectfully ask that you approve Ms. Viñals’ O-1 visa petition. Throughout my years in the music industry I have met few people to be as talented as she. Anyone who has had the distinct opportunity to hear her perform would most certainly agree. I am certain that given the opportunity, Montserrat will greatly contribute to the American music industry.

Sincerely,

Marcello Agnelo Director & Founder of SIM

6. Sample letter in the field of Film Industry Professionals

December 20, 2012

USCIS – Vermont Service Center 75 Lower Welden Street

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St. Albans, VT 05479-0001

Dear Sir or Madam:

The following is written in unconditional support of Mr. Luca Antonelli’s petition for an O-1 visa in the United States.

My name is Francesca Mirtelli and I am the Founder and Owner of Violeta Film. Throughout my career I have served as a director and producer for renown artistic personalities, including: Mario Martone, Stefano Incerti, Mimmo Calopresti, and Nanni Moretti. Moreover, I have been a consistent contributor to the United Theatre of Naples. In 2001, I joined the faculty of the distinguished Istituto Universitario S. Orsola Benincasa of Naples in the Science of Communications department. Additionally, since 2004 I have been spearheading an annual artistic seminar in Cuba for the Escuela Internacional de Cinema y Television de San Antonio de los Baños. In 2004, I founded Indigo Film in collaboration with Francesca Cima and Carlotta Calori. Since its foundation, Indigo Film has produced a plethora of awarding winning films, including by , The Consequences of love, , Mario’s War, Il Divo a Jury Prize winner at the Cannes International Film Festival, The girl by the lake, La Doppia Ora, and This Must be the Place starring Sean Penn, amongst others.

As one of the most distinguished working producers in Italy I offer my highest recommendation of Luca Antonelli. Luca is a distinguished and accomplished director who has achieved an incredible degree of international acclaim. He has been recognized at the Cannes International Film Festival and has won an Italian Golden Globe for his short film Sotto il mio Giardino. Moreover, Luca has collaborated with distinguished Italian artists, most notably with the critically acclaimed director Paolo Sorrentino on more than one occasion. Their iconic collaboration in Il Divo was internationally acclaimed and was bestowed the Jury Prize and the Prix Vulcain at the 61st Annual Cannes International Film Festival. It goes without stating the incredible honor and degree of outstanding achievement represented by an award at the Cannes International Film Festival — an award to which all film artists aspire.

Luca has demonstrated time and time again that he is deserving of the honors and benefits associated with an O-1 visa of extraordinary abilities. His exceptional talent must be celebrated, not only in Italy, but also in the United States. Mr. Antonelli is an outstanding director, who in a short time has established himself as the most awarded short film director in the history of Italy. His talents will greatly contribute the American film industry and I am certain he will become of the great directors of our time.

Best regards,

Francesca Mirtelli Founder & Owner, Indigo Film