‘Antonia’: Prime Video Italy Orders Comedy-Drama Series “In The Tone Of ‘Fleabag'” From ‘Romulus’ Producer Groenlandia
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EXCLUSIVE: Prime Video Italy has ordered a six-part comedy-drama with a “tone in the direction of Fleabag” from Italian producer Groenlandia.
We can reveal Banijay-owned drama house Groenlandia and Fidelio are making Antonia, in collaboration with Prime Video. The series will form part of the streamer’s latest slate, which is due to be unveiled today in Rome. Each episode will be a half-hour.
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Chiara Martegiani (Ride) stars in the title role. Valerio Mastandrea (The First Beautiful Thing, Diabolik) is providing creative supervision and also stars alongside Barbara Chichiarelli, Emanuele Linfatti, Leonardo Lidi and Anna Chiara Caselli. Elisa Casseri, Carlotta Corradi and Chiara Martegiani are the writers. Chiara Malta is directing.
Antonia will take an ironic, comedic tone and will follow the titular character, an actress who can’t help but clash with others. Having left her family as a teenager, she lives in Rome, which she sees as “an urban and emotional jungle that is perfect for blending in without having to provide too many explanations.”
On her 33rd birthday, she gets fired from an acting gig and ends up in hospital, where she learns she has the chronic disease endometriosis, which leads her on a unusual path to psychotherapy. She begins to realize she has to stop running away and that her disease will become the way to get to know herself and stop running away.
“It’s an arthouse series but also personal and directed in realistic way,” director and Groenlandia co-creator Matteo Rovere told Deadline. “Amazon believes in the direction — character-driven with a tone in the direction of Fleabag. Antonia is a woman trying to survive, who is given a diagnosis that is a chance to change her life.”
We hear Rome-based producer Groenlandia, which Rovere and Sydney Sibilia run together, is also gearing up for a second season of The Law According to Lidia Poët, the Netflix 19th Century period drama about Italy’s first female lawyer.
A sophomore run was expected after the first met with acclaim after launching in February, and Rovere confirmed to Deadline it will return during our interview. Shooting is now underway in Turin.
“Lidia Poët was released day and date and is now the most viewed Italian series in the world this year [on Netflix],” added Rovere. “Netflix is continuing with a big level of investment in in Italy. They’ve doubled down and plan to remain here for many years.”
Also on the Groenlandia slate is a series about the formation of Italian rock and pop band 883 in the early 1990s. Sky Italia is attached and Banijay Rights will shop the show internationally. Groenlandia co-creator Sydney Sibilia, who directed Netflix feature Rose Island is directing. Elijah Nuzzolo will play Max Pezzali and Matthew Giuggioli plays Mauro Repetto.
Also for Netflix is Supersex, a drama series about the life of Italian porn star Rocco Siffredi, and a feature film wrapped two weeks ago in Bordeaux.
‘A good moment for Italy’
Italian drama has been increasingly popular for global streamers and U.S. studios, attracted by the country’s stunning backdrops, well trained crews and tax rebate system. Famously, The White Lotus season 2 shot in the country and Netflix, Sky Italia and Amazon remain extremely active locally. Peacock is shooting big-budget Roland Emmerich drama series Those About to Die, starring Anthony Hopkins.
“Italy has a very strong tax rebate and incentive, and lots of international shows are shooting here, such as Roland Emmerich’s show,” said Rovere. “It’s a good moment for attracting international projects here.”
We near producers are convinced Netflix will remain spending big in the territory after opening a base in Rome last year. There are questions around whether Prime Video’s is reducing focus on expensive Italian productions. Rovere said there was a “feeling” the streamer will reduce its “general spend” but is “continuing with a strong local approach.”
“They’re mostly looking for larger and broader stuff,” he added. “They know their audience better after a couple of years here.”
Rovere also said Sky Deutschland’s move out of local originals was a concern across the border but backed Sky Italia to continue its long-term investment in the local production community. “I hope and think that Sky is stronger in Italy and will continue with their slate here. We are shooting two series with Sky at the moment, and have a strong relationship with them,” he added.
Assessing the state of the Italian production market more broadly, Rovere said the ongoing media market correction and the U.S. writers strike meant the global streamers are “trying to better balance” their investments in original programs and movies. This means producers need to be flexible and willing to go where the work is — whether that’s film or TV production.
“The producer should always been a chameleon,” he said.
Groenlandia is also developing IP within the Banijay Group and has co-productions in France and Norway. “Being part of the group is great as you can share information across Europe and internationally,” said Rovere. “We can develop IP or co-develop with other partners.”
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