Marco Bellocchio Shooting TV Series ‘Portobello’ That Marks First Project From Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli’s Our Films (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Revered Italian auteur Marco Bellocchio is back behind the camera shooting “Portobello,” a TV series reconstructing one of Italy’s most clamorous travesties of justice.

The show marks the first project out of the gate hailing from Our Films, the new shingle headed by prominent producer duo Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Mieli best known for shepherding “The Young Pope” and “My Brilliant Friend.” The six-episode Bellocchio series will delve into the true story of popular Italian TV host Enzo Tortora who, among other programs, conducted a primetime game show titled “Portobello” that aired on Italian state broadcaster RAI starting from 1977 for seven seasons.

Tortora in 1985 was accused by several alleged ex-mobsters turned informants and state witnesses of being part of a Neapolitan crime syndicate dedicated to drug trafficking.

After being sentenced to ten years in prison and spending some time behind bars, plus enduring a lengthy trial, Tortora’s conviction was eventually fully overturned by Italy’s Supreme Court in 1987 amid widespread belief that the TV host had been the victim of corrupt judges and prosecutors. “Tortora suffered a great injustice: arrested, tried and convicted, he was fully acquitted only after a long judicial odyssey,” said Bellocchio in a statement. “He was a fighter, but the fight made him sick and led to his [premature] death,” added the director who went on to note that he does not intend to turn Tortora “into a saint-like figure,” but rather dig deep into the nuances of his character and story.