Produced by Stand By Mefrom May 18 we can watch Di4rithe new series Netflix composed by 15 episodes in which we will experience the stories and emotions of a group of second-rate classmates.
Apparently the structure of the series is similar to that of Skam but, instead of whole seasons, in Di4ri each episode will unfold through the eyes of one of the eight protagonists. We will therefore have only one narrator per episode that will make us enter a sort of personal diary with a look at the events of the 2ˆD class.
The boys will speak directly to us spectators showing their feelings without filters, so that the stories of each of them let us enter their pre-adolescent life: a delicate age in which the individuality of the children is born and, at the same time, the group identity grows.
The protagonists are: Pietro (Andrea Arru), Livia (Flavia Leone), Isabel (Sofia Nicolini), Daniele (Biagio Venditti), Monica (Federica Franzellitti), Giulio (Liam Nicolosi), Mirko (Pietro Sparvoli) and Arianna (Francesca La Cava).
In addition, they will also be present Fortunato Cerlino in the role of Paolo, the school assistant and, as a special guest, he will also be there Larissa Iapichinojunior long jump champion, in an episode that will focus on a triathlon.
The song “Islands” from Tancred which debuted with the trailer, will be the theme song for the series and the singer will also guest star in two episodes of Di4ri.
Synopsis Di4ri:
Di4riset in the Galileo Galilei middle school, by Marina Piccolaa small town on an Italian island, tells of the world in which children grow up today, made up of individualism, fragmentation and loneliness.
Each episode covers the time span of a school week and is told from the point of view of one of the eight protagonists (except in the case of the first episode, which is the only one to have a double narrative, Pietro in the first half and Livia in the second) .
At the beginning the protagonists will be mostly focused on themselves but, the imminent dismantling of their small school will make them discover the desire to be together and make a group in life and not just on a basketball court.
The plurality of voices and stories will give us the opportunity to explore the different perception and feelings of each of these characters, making us understand how important it is to learn to understand the point of view of others.
The topics discussed
There discovery of homosexual love, lived like all the first cooked at that age; the repercussions on the children of a marriage in crisis, an often underestimated topic, even if family harmony is one of the most common wishes among the little ones; excessive pressures created by parental expectations. In addition there is also talk of dyslexia, anxious to grow up, lonelinessthe first menstruation, L’acceptance of oneself. Typical pre-adolescent themes such as carefreethe crushi first kissesthe value of friendship and the passion for sport.
Characters
Livia Mancini (Flavia Leone)
Twelve years old, sportswoman, perfectionist, she always tries to please parents and teachers by hiding what really matters to her. During her series her independent spirit will emerge, also thanks to Pietro.
Pietro Maggi (Andrea Arru)
He shows himself confident but, every day, he has to deal with the constant quarrels of his parents and the oppression of eighth-grade children. Plus, he’s falling in love with the one girl who seems immune to his charms. His character will evolve and he will be the one to lead the revolt of the class against the imminent closure of the school.
Isabel Diop (Sofia Nicolini)
Solar and optimistic, he stops at nothing. Everyone in the class asks her for help and she doesn’t hold back. She becomes the captain of the basketball team and plays an important role in the match against the eighth grade boys.
Mirko valenti (Pietro Sparvoli)
Shy and introverted, he recently moved from Rome. At the beginning, counting on the support of his older brother, Damiano, he begins to hang out with the third grade boys. Getting to know Daniele will help him integrate more into 2D and detach himself from his past.
Daniele Parisi (Biagio Venditti)
Mature boy and a point of reference for his classmates, who consider him intelligent and generous. He has a crush on Mirko and after a first disappointment, in the course of the series, he will find love in an unexpected way.
Giulio Paccagnini (Liam Nicolosi)
Cheeky, with an always ready joke, he suffers from a slight dyslexia which, although at the beginning it is an obstacle, over time it will allow him to earn the sincere affection of his companions by showing his more fragile side. His best friend is Pietro and he is in love with Arianna, whom he does not seem to reciprocate.
Monica Piovani (Federica Franzellitti)
Insecure and awkward. Her only certainties are her friendship with Isabel and her commitment to studying.
He will come out of his comfort zone showing everyone his ability to listen and understand others. At that point everyone will understand how much Monica is a precious friend.
Arianna Rinaldi (Francesca La Cava)
Typical cute and snobbish girl of the class: capricious, unreachable and alone, imprisoned in a role that doesn’t really belong to her. Her behavior will change when she, in a moment of difficulty, she discovers my companions, hitherto never considered, as precious allies.
Paolo Agresti (Francesco Cerlino)
School assistant, lonely man, divorced and far from his son Fabrizio. He is very attached to Pietro, who suffers from the separation of his parents, and to Giulio, who reminds him of Fabrizio. Paolo will join the rebellion of the 2D boys and, thanks to Pietro’s advice, will recover the relationship with his son.
Curiosity
This new project presents some new and stimulating aspects from the directing point of view. The narrative voices, which follow one another passing from one character to another, from a protagonist to a secondary character who in turn becomes the protagonist, speak directly to the audience, looking at the camera to share their emotions. All this aimed at audiences who are not teenagers, but the younger target of pre-teenagers.
The series is set in a fantasy place, an Italian island that is deliberately not identified to make it universal, but the places – from the school, to the houses, to the exteriors – are all real, there is nothing fake or reconstructed: no sound stages were used. The intention was to immerse the actors in authentic environments, to put them at ease and to leave room for spontaneity and, at times, improvisation.
A very large cast was engaged on the set, mostly newcomers, with eight protagonists, more than twenty secondary actors and over seven hundred extras, with a crew of about 60 people and a second unit. Filming, which involved cast and crew for about four months, was mainly made in Rome and Ischia. A set was opened near Bracciano, where the scenes were made in the basketball court and on the athletics track.
