The Good Mothers was awarded the first ever “Berlinale Series Award” which debuted at this year’s Berlin Film Festival. The Disney+ series, produced by Juliette Howell, Tessa Ross and Harriett Spencer for House Productions and Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Gangarossa for Wildside, a Fremantle Group company, was selected for financing by the Calabria Film Commission in the 2021 Call in support of audio-visual works in Calabria.
The Good Mothers naturally shot in Calabria, in Reggio Calabria, Palmi, Fiumara, for six weeks and also outside of the region: in the city and province of Rome, Milan and Genoa. The Series Award Jury (composed of Mette Heeno, André Holland, Danna Stern) cited the locations in the motivations for their choice, stating that “the beautiful cinematography, production design and locations contribute to the ultra-realistic feel of the show, which is only right, considering it is based on true events and on real life characters – the courageous women who stood up to decades of oppression and misogyny and helped bring down the Calabrian mafia”.
Additionally, the jury stated that: “The Good Mothers captured us with its multi-layered characters that are treated with care and allow to evolve before our very eyes. We were moved, anxious and, at times, breathless. The series creators have been meticulous in recreating an authentic and detailed world, presented by a stellar cast, with performances that made our hearts skip a beat”.
Based on the bestselling book of the same name by journalist Alex Perry, and adapted for the screen by Stephen Butchard, The Good Mothers is directed by Julian Jarrold and Elisa Amoruso; the cast includes Gaia Girace, Barbara Chichiarelli, Valentina Bellè, Micaela Ramazzotti, Simona Distefano, Francesco Colella, Andrea Dodero.