BBC Three has acquired Fremantle’s “We Are Who We Are,” by academy Award-nominated Director, Luca Guadagnino who will showcase his work on television for the first time. "The series is fast becoming one of the most anticipated shows of the year, exploring universal issues such as identity, culture, gender, and diversity, making it the perfect addition to BBC Three and its young adult audience," Jamie Lynn, EVP, Head of EMEA Distribution, International, Fremantle, who brokered the deal with the BBC, said. "We’re proud to bring a premium HBO original series, from two of Fremantle’s renowned drama labels to its UK home on the BBC.”
An HBO-SKY series, produced by Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment and by Mario Gianani for Wildside, both Fremantle companies, along with Small Forward, "We Are Who We Are" tells the story of two American kids who live on a U.S. military base in Italy. The series was an official selection of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight.
The cast members featured in the series include Chloë Sevigny, Jack Dylan Grazer, Alice Braga, Jordan Kristine Seamón, Spence Moore II, Kid Cudi, Faith Alabi, Francesca Scorsese, Ben Taylor, Corey Knight, Tom Mercier, and Sebastiano Pigazzi. “We are so delighted that this beautifully observed drama will be enjoyed by BBC viewers. It is very special," Sue Deeks, Head of Programme Acquisition, BBC said.
Luca Guadagnino is a director, screenwriter, and producer known for his visually arresting style and his affecting psychological portraits. His credits include the Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA-nominated “I Am Love,” “A Bigger Splash,” the Academy Award, and BAFTA-nominated box office hit “Call Me by Your Name” and, most recently, the cult film “Suspiria.”
The eight-part limited series showcases the importance of friendship, first love, identity, and immerses the audience in all the messy exhilaration and anguish of being a teenager. It stars Jack Dylan Grazer, ashy and introverted fourteen-year-old Fraser who moves from New York to a military base in Veneto with his mothers, Sarah and Maggie, both in the U.S. Army. Tom Mercierplays Sarah’s assistant. Jordan Kristine Seamón stars as the seemingly bold and confident Caitlin, who has lived with her family on the base for several years and speaks Italian. Compared to her older brother Danny, Caitlin has a closer relationship with their father, Richard, and does not communicate well with her mother Jenny.
Caitlin helps tie the group friend together. The possie consists of Britney, an outspoken, witty, girl; the cheerful Craig, a soldier in his twenties, Caitlin’s possessive boyfriend, Sam, and Craig’s younger brother; Enrico, a playful eighteen-year-old from Veneto, who has a weak spot for Britney, and Valentina, an Italian girl. "'With We Are Who We Are' we are attempting to portray the here and now of two families, few generations, many exciting people. To see the world from their perspective it is what I am delighted to share with UK audiences,” Luca Guadagnino said. “To do so thanks to the prestigious and remarkable BBC is an accomplishment and a soothing encouragement."