Based on the first Neopolitan Novel by the anonymous Elena Ferrante, written by her, the director, Francesco Piccolo and Laura Paulocci (do you think any of them met her? if it is a her), with Paolo Sorentino one of the producers.
Life in (near?) Napoli in 1950s is brutal for people and the two girls who become friends, Elise del Genio ('Elena / Lenù') and Ludovica Nasti ('Lila').
That scene in episode one where the woman throwing her stuff out of the window cries and cries - those cries got right under my skin. And there's equally lovely moments in two where Elena's dad beats her up for wanting to be educated, and Rafaella's dad throws her out of a window.
By episode 3 they're teenagers. Lenù is Margherita Mazzucco, Lila Gaia Girace. As Lenù's in high school, we're in proper Napoli for the first time. Lila and her brother Rino (Gennaro De Steafano) are trying to develop a new brand of shoe; but the local hood Marcello Solara (Elvis Esposito, a Gomorrah alumni) has his eye on her - she's grown up to be a feisty and intelligent woman, usually ahead of her friend academically.
Lenù spends a summer on Ischia where she's reunited with her childhood crush, but his father - a poet - is overly interested in her too.
Lila ends up with the grocer, who is the murdered Don's son Stefano (Giovanni Amura), and develops a taste for the high life. He invests in the shoe business but in the wedding finale, the despised Marcello turns up, despite Lila's insistence he won't be there - and he's wearing that first pair of shoes Stefano bought. Che stronzo!
Dora Romano is the teacher, Lila's dad is Antonio Buonanno, Lena's mum Annarita Vitolo.
An eight hour series for HBO, RAI and Timvision. The girls' neighbourhood is a huge set designed by Giancarlo Basili in Caserta, Campania. Music by Max Richter, DP Fabio Cianchetti, editor Francesco Calvelli.
No comments:
Post a Comment