Beta and Mediawan Team on Marco Bellocchio’s TV Series ‘Portobello’
Germany’s Beta Film and France’s Mediawan Rights have joined forces to handle international sales in select territories for Marco Bellocchio’s “Portobello” TV series, which revolves around one of Italy’s most notorious travesties of justice.
The six-episode limited series is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival. “Portobello” will mark the first HBO Original Italian production to debut on the HBO Max streaming platform in 2026. This series will be available on HBO Max globally, with the exception of France and Germany.
The storyline of “Portobello” is based on the true story of Enzo Tortora, a well-known Italian TV host who hosted a popular game show called “Portobello” on the state broadcaster RAI from 1977 onwards.
In 1985, Tortora was falsely accused by former mobsters turned informants and state witnesses of involvement in a Neapolitan crime syndicate focused on drug trafficking. Despite being sentenced to 10 years in prison and enduring a lengthy trial, Tortora’s conviction was eventually overturned by Italy’s Supreme Court in 1987 due to suspicions of corruption within the judicial system.
The cast of “Portobello” includes Fabrizio Gifuni as Enzo Tortora, along with Lino Musella, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Barbora Bobulova, Alessandro Preziosi, and Fausto Russo Alesi.
The series is produced by Bellocchio’s Kavac Film in collaboration with Mediawan-owned Our Films and Arte France, as well as Fremantle’s The Apartment Pictures. The script for “Portobello” was penned by Bellocchio, Stefano Bises, Giordana Mari, and Peppe Fiore.
Following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, “Portobello” is set to be showcased at the Toronto and Busan film festivals. Oliver Bachert, Chief Distribution Officer at Beta Film, expressed their pride in being part of this project alongside Mediawan, Our Films, and Kavac Film, anticipating the success of the series.
Valérie Vleeschouwer, CEO of Mediawan Rights, highlighted the partnership with Beta Film in distributing Marco Bellocchio’s prestigious work, emphasizing their commitment to supporting talented filmmakers and intellectual properties.
The collaboration between Beta Film and Mediawan Rights on “Portobello” promises to bring this captivating and thought-provoking series to audiences worldwide, shedding light on a dark chapter in Italy’s history of justice.
