Paramount+ Sets First Original for Italy

ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) and Minerva Pictures are co-producing the series Miss Fallaci Takes America for Paramount+.

The series will be the first Paramount+ original set for the ViacomCBS-owned premium streaming service following its Italian launch in 2022. It will portray the story of the iconic Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci during the ’50s and ’60s.

VIS and Minerva will produce the series in collaboration with RedString.

“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,” said Laura Abril, senior VP and head of VIS EMEA and Asia. “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.”

“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,” added Gianluca Curti, CEO of Minerva Pictures.

“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,” added Cosetta Lagani, chief of scripted and documentary productions at Minerva Pictures.

Jaime Ondarza, executive VP and general manager, South Hub, at ViacomCBS EMEA, added: “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.”