Famous Italian film director Mario Martone [2] is creating a brand new television series about legendary actor, screenwriter, author, and playwright Eduardo De Filippo [3], based out of Naples [4], to be sponsored by the publishing house Publispei [5].
Martone is known for his films Il giovane favoloso [6] (now known as Leopardi), L’amore molesto [7], Morte di un matematico napoletano [8] and many more. He plans to revive the early to mid 1900s life in Naples with De Filippo’s corky and equally famous family members, long time friends, and fellow co-stars. Eduardo Scarpetta [9], famous actor and playwright, had extramarital affairs resulted in the birth of his three children: Eduardo, Peppino, and Titina De Filippo; (taking their mother’s surname) one could only imagine the creativity and whit that Martone has to work with in the up and coming series. Scarpetta’s trademark humor was Naples-centric; which he of course passed on to all three of his children who spent their lives becoming famous in their own ways.
This will be Martone’s very first production of a television series; which he foresees being an international affair. It will be more than just a biographical account of De Felippo’s life and family, it will showcase their successes, their rivalries, and their good friend and partner in business- Antonio de Curtis Gagliardi Griffo Focas Comneno or "Totò [10]."
A majority of the shooting and staging of De Filippo’s manifesto takes place in Naples during March. “It is Eduardo's first direction," Martone says, "he was one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, he digs into the human soul, and digs to find a social context.” The director wants to create more than just a recount of the dramatist’s life and career, he wants to revive the soul he put into his work and entrust his history to us, the future viewers of this innovative comedy.
It is nothing but fitting for Mario Martone to have chosen the life of Eduardo De Filippo as the subject of his very first TV series. Naples connects the two of them, their ability to embrace and connect with their hometowns while creating their own stereotypes that have gone back to Eduardo Scarpetta’s generation and his brilliant acting that he has passed to his children. But their strongest connection is that they are not only Neapolitan, they are symbols of Italy, creative geniuses alike.
Source URL: http://iitaly.org/magazine/focus/art-culture/article/new-martone-tv-series-about-eduardo-de-filippo
Links
[1] http://iitaly.org/files/eduardodefilippomartonetvshopnaplesjpg-0
[2] http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0554280/
[3] http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0208370/?ref_=tt_ov_wr
[4] https://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/campania/naples
[5] http://www.publispei.it/
[6] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3152602/
[7] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112352/
[8] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104918/
[9] http://www.eduardoscarpetta.it/home_famiglia.htm
[10] http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0869451/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm