Elena Ferrante is undoubtedly the most successful Italian author of our time. Her novels – from Troubling Love to The Story of the Lost Child – have captivated millions of fervent fans. But the true identity behind this pseudonym has become one of the most incendiary literary mysteries of recent decades. Giacomo Durzi’s documentary explores the depths of Ferrante’s oeuvre, and attempts, in his words “to stimulate reflections on the particular reasons for Ferrante’s success, without being seduced by the provocation of making a ‘gossipy’ documentary about her unknown identity.” Shot in Italy and the US, the film features interviews with authors such as Jonathan Franzen and Elizabeth Strout.

Elena Ferrante is undoubtedly the most successful Italian author of our time. Her novels – from Troubling Love to The Story of the Lost Child – have captivated millions of fervent fans. But the true identity behind this pseudonym has become one of the most incendiary literary mysteries of recent decades. Giacomo Durzi’s documentary explores the depths of Ferrante’s oeuvre, and attempts, in his words “to stimulate reflections on the particular reasons for Ferrante’s success, without being seduced by the provocation of making a ‘gossipy’ documentary about her unknown identity.” Shot in Italy and the US, the film features interviews with authors such as Jonathan Franzen and Elizabeth Strout.