La Storia: The Perfect Binge for ‘My Brilliant Friend’ Fans

The sweeping historical drama, La Storia, is an eight-part miniseries adapted from Elsa Morante’s 1974 novel of the same name. The historical drama is set in Rome’s San Lorenzo neighborhood at the beginning of World War II.

The series opens in June 1941, introducing Ida Ramundo, a widowed half-Jewish teacher, and mother of a teenage son, Nino, who lives in fear of deportation.

The first gut-wrenching episode sees Ida followed home and assaulted in her own bed by a young German soldier. This horrific event leads to the birth of her second son, Giuseppe, a disarmingly beautiful child.

Using the lens of this family, La Storia portrays the tragic nine-month Nazi occupation of Rome, which lasted from September 1943 to June 1944. and after. During this period, Allied bombings, homelessness, poverty, hunger and food rationing, curfews, persecution, and Gestapo deportations to concentration camps upended normal daily life for the Ramundos and other Italian families.

The Related DNA of La Storia & My Brilliant Friend

Both La Storia and My Brilliant Friend bring powerful stories to the screen written by acclaimed Italian novelists.

Elena Ferrante depicted Neapolitan life in a series of four novels: My Brilliant Friend, The Story of a New Name, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and The Story of the Lost Child. They told the story of the enduring friendship of two young women, Elena and Lila, who were born in poverty but whose paths diverged in adulthood.

The four stories, packaged under the single title My Brilliant Friend, was adapted for the screen in a series developed by HBO in collaboration with Rai, Italy’s public broadcast company.

This airing introduced Ferrante’s masterpiece to a global audience of Italophiles and historical fiction fans. The New York Times named Ferrante’s novel, My Brilliant Friend, one of the best books of the 21st century.

Academics and outlets like The New Yorker have recognized Elsa Morante as an inspiration (and literary mentor) to Elena Ferrante, although Ferrante’s work emerged roughly two decades later.

This comparison of the works of the two female authors stems from the similarity in their character-driven narratives, which powerfully portray the inner lives of women and their resilience, particularly in their roles as mothers, in the context of history.

The Cast of La Storia

It is the talented actors that bring La Storia to life. These include:

• Jasmine Trinca: The celebrated Roman-born actress and director delivers a compelling performance as Ida Ramundo. Her portrayal is captivating, conveying a depth of emotion through her facial expressions and movements.

• Francesco Zenga: Appears as Ida’s strident teenage son, Nino.

• Christian Liberti & Mattia Basciani: Liberti plays the very young Giuseppe (Useppe), while Basciani plays the same role as the child grows older. Both of these appealing child actors absolutely steal the screen.

• Asia Argento: A romantic partner of the late Anthony Bourdain, Argento is probably best-known to American audiences. She plays the role of a prostitute and tarot card reader named Santina.

• Elio Germano: Appears as the generous communist worker Giuseppe “Eppetondo” Cucchiarelli.

Two cast members, Rosaria Langellotto (who plays Serafina) and Andrea Avagliano, actually appear in both My Brilliant Friend and La Storia. In addition, Francesco Piccolo served as a writer for both series.

The Setting of La Storia

Produced by Robert Sessa with cinematography by Luca Bigazzi, most of La Storia was filmed in Rome, with other scenes shot in Naples and Anagni (a medieval town southeast of Rome).

The cinematography and costuming are so brilliant that they fully immerse watchers in another time and place. When a bomb goes off and buildings come crumbling down, the viewer can only shudder. Like the earthquake scene in My Brilliant Friend, it feels that authentic.

Where to Watch La Storia

After premiering at the Rome Film Festival in 2023, La Storia first aired on Rai in January 2024.

MHz Choice, a streaming service of foreign and international films, purchased rights to stream La Storia for American and Canadian audiences.

Each of the eight episodes can be streamed on MHz Choice (an add-on to Amazon Prime) and run just under one hour in length.

The first two episodes of the series dropped in February, with the six remaining episodes scheduled to air in subsequent weeks. Filmed in Italian, the series is subtitled in English.

Watch the trailer on YouTube:

Conclusion

After reading all four of Elena Ferrante’s novels, I binged on the screen adaptation of My Brilliant Friend. Those who are smitten with Italian historical dramas will find La Storia equally compelling.

It’s a very sad but beautifully told story. Brought to life by a talented cast led by Jasmine Trinca, it’s one that shouldn’t be forgotten. 

---

Save to Pinterest!!

---

(Read about San Lorenzo as a travel destination on Culture Trip and as a culinary mecca on Bon Appetit).

---

Have you watched La Storia? If so, what did you think? How did it compare to My Brilliant Friend? Let us know in the comments below!