VIS and Minerva Pictures to co-produce "Miss Fallaci Takes America”

VIS, the international studio division of ViacomCBS Network International (VCNI), and the independent Italian film production and distribution company Minerva Pictures announced their first co-production for the TV series "Miss Fallaci Takes America". The ambitious series will be the first Paramount+ Original set for the ViacomCBS-owned premium streaming service, following its Italian launch in 2022.

"As we continue to expand Paramount+ internationally, local content is critical. We're excited that Minerva will be our first partner to create Italy's first Paramount+ Original series. I'm sure that the fascinating story of Oriana Fallaci, who became part of the history of international journalism, will capture the attention of both Italian and international audiences,"  said Laura Abril, Senior Vice President and Head of VIS EMEA and Asia.

"We are particularly pleased to produce our first series together with ViacomCBS International Studios, an international partner that focuses on the quality of the product and with whom both President Santo Versace and I feel in great creative harmony,"   commented Gianluca Curti, CEO of Minerva Pictures.

The series will portray Oriana's early life as a journalist in Hollywood at the end of the '50s, working as an Italian entertainment correspondent in the United States. With a disenchanted gaze, Oriana observes the society and customs of America during the time and is fascinated by its contradictions. Ironic and often irreverent, the young Oriana writes about the American dream before becoming a war reporter and well-known writer worldwide.

"Just one year after winning together with RedString at the MIA Market as best pitch, we are already working on the writing of the series - an ambitious project that fits perfectly in our mission: the creation of very high-quality narrative and production projects, with a strong identity, relevant also for the international market and audience,"  declared Cosetta Lagani, Chief of Scripted and Documentary Productions of Minerva Pictures.

"We are happy to invest in Italian content, especially with our premium service Paramount+, which will be available for the Italian audience in 2022 and, together with Pluto TV, will represent a major milestone in the momentum of our powerful streaming strategy. ‘Miss Fallaci Takes America’ is a unique project that stood out from the beginning and is intended to be a high-quality production with great international potential,"  concluded Jaime Ondarza, Executive Vice President and General Manager South Hub at ViacomCBS EMEEA.