Romolo + Giuly – The Italian world war

Directed by Director's notes
  • Michele Bertini Malgarini
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Pressbook

Directed by
  • Michele Bertini Malgarini
Year
  • 2018
Length
  • 8x30 min.
Download

Pressbook

Year
  • 2018
Length
  • 8x30 min.
Cast
  • Alessandro D’Ambrosi
  • Beatrice Arnera
  • Fortunato Cerlino
  • Massimo Ciavarro
  • Federico Pacifici
  • Nunzia Schiano
  • Giorgio Mastrota
  • Michela Andreozzi
  • Lidia Vitale
  • Niccolò Senni
  • Stefano Fregni
  • Matteo Nicoletta
 
  • David Pietroni
  • Federica Cacciola
  • Marco Gambino
  • Umberto Smaila
  • Lucio Patané
  • Ludovica Martini
  • Andrea Trovato
  • Claudio & Fabrizio Colica
  • Leonardo Bocci & Lorenzo Tiberia
  • Francesco Pannofino
  • Paolo Bonolis
  • Giorgio Panariello
Synopsis

The story of ROMOLO + GIULY. THE ITALIAN WORLD WAR focuses on the troubled love affair between Romolo and Giuly, each the heir of Rome’s powerful Montacchi and Copulati families. It is an ironic reference to the Shakespearian origins of the most famous and tragic love story ever written. When the two youngsters come together, the ancestral conflict between opulent, well-heeled North Rome and the down-to-earth, chavvy South Rome is reignited. A conflict into which all of Italy, from Milan to Naples, is quickly yet unexpectedly dragged. 

Director's notes
  • The idea behind the series is to provide a glimpse of life in Italy today as it’s never been told before. We will have four narrative lines (Milan, Naples, South Rome and North Rome) in eight 30-minute episodes. There will be satire on the politics and way of life of our society, fantastical and dystopian inserts which will leave viewers open-mouthed, a cocaine-fuelled puppet at the helm of a secret society, two young people fighting for a love affair that seems truly impossible, and much more besides.

    Romolo+Giuly- The Italian World War will be a brilliant comedy with a pop and visual style. The cinematographic genres have been adopted and mixed together according to the narrative timeframes. There are many cinematographic references which I challenge viewers to identify. In order to portray such a varied, multifaceted universe, I have opted for a stand-alone visual look and directing approach for each geographical location I was filming. I wanted the spectator to make an instant connection between each narrative and a specific type of directing and photography.

    As a result, the loud but genuine South Rome will have a warmer photography, with the camera on the shoulder and unpolished movements, whilst the more sensible, formal North Rome will feature a colder light, and slicker machine movements. The aristocratic, Bourbonic Naples, on the other hand, will have carefully contrived, elegant dolly shots and wide-angle shots to portray the majestic interiors of Don Alfonso’s villa, and a production approach which, on occasion, is deliberately over-the-top.

    The series is enhanced by the performance and technique of high-profile actors such as Fortunato Cerlino, Alessandro D’Ambrosi, Beatrice Arnera, Nunzia Schiano, Michela Andreozzi, Lidia Vitale, Federico Pacifici, Massimo Ciavarro, Giorgio Mastrota, Giorgio Panariello and Umberto Smaila, to name but a few. I uncovered an unexpected comic verve in some of them, who are perhaps better known for more dramatic roles. All demonstrated great flexibility, as well as providing countless useful tips, allowing me to add humorous timing and quips which cropped up on set to the series.

    Michele Bertini Malgarini
Directed by
  • Michele Bertini Malgarini
Created by
  • Giulio Carrieri
  • Alessandro D’Ambrosi
  • Michele Bertini Malgarini
Screenplay
  • Giulio Carrieri
A series created by
  • Fox Networks Group Italy
Produced by
  • Mario Gianani
  • Lorenzo Mieli
  • Lorenzo Gangarossa for Wildside
  • With Zerosix Productions
Executive producer
  • Olivia Sleiter
Editing
  • Valentina Grossi
Scenography
  • Daniele Frabetti
Director of photography
  • Simone Mogliè
Costumes
  • Sabrina Beretta
Sound
  • Paolo Giuliani
Director's notes
X

The idea behind the series is to provide a glimpse of life in Italy today as it’s never been told before. We will have four narrative lines (Milan, Naples, South Rome and North Rome) in eight 30-minute episodes. There will be satire on the politics and way of life of our society, fantastical and dystopian inserts which will leave viewers open-mouthed, a cocaine-fuelled puppet at the helm of a secret society, two young people fighting for a love affair that seems truly impossible, and much more besides.

Romolo+Giuly- The Italian World War will be a brilliant comedy with a pop and visual style. The cinematographic genres have been adopted and mixed together according to the narrative timeframes. There are many cinematographic references which I challenge viewers to identify. In order to portray such a varied, multifaceted universe, I have opted for a stand-alone visual look and directing approach for each geographical location I was filming. I wanted the spectator to make an instant connection between each narrative and a specific type of directing and photography.

As a result, the loud but genuine South Rome will have a warmer photography, with the camera on the shoulder and unpolished movements, whilst the more sensible, formal North Rome will feature a colder light, and slicker machine movements. The aristocratic, Bourbonic Naples, on the other hand, will have carefully contrived, elegant dolly shots and wide-angle shots to portray the majestic interiors of Don Alfonso’s villa, and a production approach which, on occasion, is deliberately over-the-top.

The series is enhanced by the performance and technique of high-profile actors such as Fortunato Cerlino, Alessandro D’Ambrosi, Beatrice Arnera, Nunzia Schiano, Michela Andreozzi, Lidia Vitale, Federico Pacifici, Massimo Ciavarro, Giorgio Mastrota, Giorgio Panariello and Umberto Smaila, to name but a few. I uncovered an unexpected comic verve in some of them, who are perhaps better known for more dramatic roles. All demonstrated great flexibility, as well as providing countless useful tips, allowing me to add humorous timing and quips which cropped up on set to the series.

Michele Bertini Malgarini