The Story Behind the Story
While the film follows the journey of a father through his gripping reality, its production tells the story of a mother and daughter making it happen in actuality. Using her background in bookkeeping, Mariuccia Caruso, mother of five, built her production company from the ground up, looking to see the concept of Emerald Run through. The idea of creating a film of combined action, family, crime, and faith, piqued the interest of her only daughter,
Marialisa, as it resonated with her own aspiration to bring about what she calls the “life genre,” encompassing all the variances of life, from unbearable tragedy to outrageous humor and deepest love, for all to gather what they wish and not only enjoy, but feel.
Marialisa was 17 years old when she began working on the production of Emerald Run. Starting as a spectator and extra, she quickly moved on to associate producer, before stepping up to rewrite the beginning and end of
the script to meld with the majority of the story that had already been shot under the previous writer and director, and adding a role for herself. By applying her curriculum in both business and creative arts, Marialisa was able to advance to each new position, as she was simultaneously studying to be the first member of her family to graduate from a private, four-year university, and second to ever become a college graduate.