HBO's My Brilliant Friend — Official Teaser Trailer

added: Thu, Aug 30th '18

HBO has released the first official teaser trailer for the coming-of-age Italian drama series "My Brilliant Friend."

Based on the 2012 international best-selling novel of the same name by Italian novelist Elena Ferrante (the first of a four-part book series), the HBO drama spans the course of several decades as it chronicles the lifelong friendship (sometimes rivalry) between Elena (aka "Lenu") and Lila, two very different Italian women from Naples who first met at primary school in the early 1950s.

Newcomers Elisa Del Genio and Ludovica Nasti have been cast to play Elena and Lila as young children, while young Italian actresses Margherita Mazzucco and Gaia Girace are playing them as teenagers.

The eight-episode series is directed by acclaimed Italian filmmaker Saverio Costanzo, who previously wrote and directed 2014's Venice Film Festival-winning marital drama-thriller "Hungry Hearts" with Adam Driver and Alba Rohrwacher. Costanzo is also known for directing two seasons of Italy's version of the psychotherapy drama series "In Treatment."

"My Brilliant Friend" will make its US debut on HBO, airing sometime in November. Watch the trailer, above.

synopsis:
Based on Elena Ferrante's bestselling book of the same name -- the first novel in a four-part series published in the U.S. by Europa Editions -- "MY BRILLIANT FRIEND" is being directed by award-winning Italian filmmaker Saverio Costanzo.

The series tells the story of Elena Greco, a now-elderly woman who discovers the most important friend in her life, Raffaella "Lila" Cerullo, seems to have disappeared with a trace. A writer, immersed in a house full of books, Greco turns on her computer and starts writing the story of their tempestuous friendship, starting from the point when Elena met Lila their first year of primary school in 1950.

Set in a dangerous and fascinating Naples, their story goes on to cover more than 60 years of their lives as she tries to describe the mystery of Lila, Elena's brilliant friend and -- in a way -- her best friend, and worst enemy.

directed by Saverio Costanzo

starring Elisa Del Genio, Ludovica Nasti, Margherita Mazzucco, Gaia Girace

release date November 2018 (on HBO)

View all trailers / clips for:

HBO's My Brilliant Friend