Khaby Lame’s directorial debut will premiere at a film festival gala hosted by Bella Thorne

As Khaby Lame sets his sights of the film industry, he’s getting a boost from a fellow influencer. Lame’s directorial debut will premiere at the Taormina Film Festival, where the TikTok star’s short film will be included in a showcase put together by Bella Thorne.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that details about Lame’s short film are being kept under wraps for now. The Italian funnyman’s wordless riffs on viral lifehacks have made him the most-followed creator on TikTok. Since rising to fame, he’s become a regular presence at film festivals across Europe. TikTok tapped him to judge a short film contest at Cannes in 2022, and he has also appeared at the Venice Film Festival in his home country.

In Taormina (which Americans may recognize as the setting for season two of the HBO series The White Lotus), Lame will show off his directing skills at an “influential shorts” gala headlined by Thorne. The actress, singer, influencer, and entrepreneur will be promoting a short film of her own. Paint It Red, Thorne’s directorial debut, is based on a screenplay she wrote and features her in a starring role.

Thorne’s gala will take place at Taormina’s Teatro Antico, a Greek amphi

theater that dates back to the third century B.C. The goal of the event is to introduce some of the fresh talent Thorne has discovered. The Instagram icon (who reaches 25 million followers and commands big paydays with her sponsored posts) will also invite established artists and celebrities to her film festival fête.

A TikTok star with 158 million followers may not seem like “fresh talent,” but Lame is eager to break into Hollywood and begin a new chapter in his career. His trip to Taormina will be one of the first steps in that journey. In a statement, Thorne praised Lame’s filmmaking abilities, lauding him as “extremely creative and beyond current.”

“We are very thrilled to bring Khaby to Taormina for the festival,” added Barrett Wissman, the Co-Artistic Director of the Taormina Film Festival. “It is imperative for us to always be developing younger, fresh audiences through new media. Khaby helps us to bring diverse, young, international, and Italian fans to our historic festival.”

The 2023 Taormina Film Festival begins on June 23. According to the festival’s official website, its program of events is coming soon. We’re looking forward to learning more details about Lame’s big premiere and the film he will show there.