News

Rome’s Mia Market has seen a 20% increase in submissions for its Co-Production Market and Pitching Forum, with 60 of the 600 received selected to be presented.

The number of submissions rose from 80 to 90, with a 12.5% increase in the number of countries of origin. Genres span drama, docs, film and animation

The popular Drama Co-Production Market and Pitching Forum has seen submissions up 6%, with 14 series projects from 12 nations presenting.

Among the drama projects are Italian productions A Family Reunion (Riuione di Famiglia), a family thriller produced by Rosario Rinaldo for Cross Productions and written by Donatella Diamanti, Mauro Casiraghi, Simona Coppini, Alessandra Martellini, Marzio Paoltroni and Nicola Ravera Rafele; and Uglycomics (Fumettibrutti), which is based on the graphic novel trilogy by Josephine Yole Signorelli, produced by Riccardo Russo for Bim Produzione and written by Teresa Ciabatti, Laura Luchetti and Michele Pellegrini.

International co-productions Palmyra is a French-Lebanese story about three heiresses of...

Netflix’s next Italian originals will be pairs of series and feature films from the likes of Stefano Mordini, Alessandro Genovesi and Cristina Comencini.

The projects were unveiled at a See What’s Next event in Rome today, in front of several stars, directors and stars.

Tinny Andreatta, Vice President of Italian Content at Netflix, said the orders showed the streamer remains “committed to our investment in Italy and Italian stories with conviction, continuing our long-term commitment to the country and its creative community.” Netflix opened an Italian office in May last year.

Namely, pics are Cristina Comencini’s Il Treno dei Bambini and Fabbricante di Lacrime from director Alessandro Genovesi. TV shows comprise Storia della mia Famiglia and Adorazione.

Il Treno dei Bambini is based on Viola Ardone’s bestselling novel pf the same name and is billed as as an “epic and poignant film” set in post-war Italy...

Publispei is one of the oldest TV and film production companies in Italy and creator of some of the country’s most beloved, long-running series such as Un Medico In Famiglia and I Cesaroni.

Until now, the company’s renown has been confined to Italy but company president Verdiana Bixio wants to change this and expand its international footprint.

The Rome-based producer is in Los Angeles this week for the Italian TV Forum&Festival (Ittv) where she will present Publispei’s upcoming high-end crime show Flowers Over The Inferno on Tuesday (November 8).

The presentation will be part of a larger Rai Fiction Ittv showcase of upcoming dramas, moderated by Michele Zatta, Commissioning Editor International Co-Productions at the Italian state broadcaster.

“It marks a change for me to present a series first in Los Angeles rather than in Italy,” says Bixio.

“The move to be more international is a necessity in...

Strand Releasing has acquired U.S. rights to Donatella Maiorca's "Purple Sea," which will screen at Los Angeles' upcoming Outfest and be released theatrically in late fall.

Based on a true story and inspired by the novel by Giacomo Pilati the film is set in a scenic area near Sicily and tells of the love between two young woman. Its screenplay is by Mario Cristiani, Donatella Diamanti, Maiorca and Pina Mandolfo.

 

Strand's Jon Gerrans and Intra Movies' Jef Nuyts negotiated the sale.