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Netflix is putting toxic masculinity under the comedy microscope.

The streamer has ordered Maschi Veri, an eight-part comedy series from Italy in which four alpha male friends in their forties find themselves facing their own prejudices and the paradigms of toxic masculinity in a world that is moving towards social and gender equality. Without losing themselves, they are forced to rediscover their place in society and their relationships.

Maurizio Lastrico, Matteo Martari, Francesco Montanari and Pietro Sermonti star as the friends in the show, which is from Banijay’s Italian drama house Groenlandia. Furio Andreotti, Giulia Calenda and Ugo Ripamonti are the writers, with Groenlandia’s Matteo Rovere producing. Matteo Oleotto and Letizia Lamartire are directing.

Thony, Sarah Felberbaum, Laura Adriani, Alice Lupparelli, Corrado Fortuna and Nicole Grimaudo complete the cast. Show is slated for a 2025 launch.

For Netflix, the series is its latest out of Italy that explores contemporary masculinity.

Exclusive: Prime Video Italy has ordered a six-part comedy-drama in the “tone in the director of Fleabag” from Italian producer Groenlandia.

We can reveal Banijay Group-owned drama house Groenlandia and Fidelio are making Antonia, in collaboration with Prime Video. The series will form part of the streamer’s latest slate, which is due to be unveiled today in Rome. Each episode will be a half-hour.

Chiara Martegiani (Ride) stars in the title role. Valerio Mastandrea is providing creative supervision and also stars alongside Barbara Chichiarelli, Emanuele Linfatti, Leonardo Lidi and Anna Chiara Caselli. Elisa Casseri, Carlotta Corradi and Chiara Martegiani are the writers. Chiara Malta is directing.

Antonia will take an ironic, comedic tone and will follow the titular character, an actress who can’t help but clash with others. Having left her family as a teenager, she lives in Rome, which she sees...

Valerio Mastandrea on Abel Ferrara: "An American frame by Abel is different from any other one. Because he moves people to feel cinema inside, you know." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

At Open Roads: New Italian Cinema in New York, first-time director Valerio Mastandrea of Laughing (Ride), starring Chiara Martegiani, told me how he was influenced by Ettore Scola, Mario Monicelli and Aki Kaurismäki. Valerio talks about getting inside the story with the directors he has acted for, including Silvio Soldini's Garibaldi's Lovers (Il Comandante E La Cicogna) opposite Alba Rohrwacher, Marco Bellocchio's Sweet Dreams (Fai Bei Sogni), and Valeria Golino's Euphoria (Euforia) with Riccardo Scamarcio, Jasmine Trinca and Isabella Ferrari.

Valerio is Nico Naldini, confidant to Pier Paolo Pasolini, played by Willem Dafoe in Abel Ferrara's Pasolini.

Valerio Mastandrea on Abel Ferrara: "The way Abel looked at me who observed - that's the difference that he can...

Laughing (Ride) director Valerio Mastandrea photographs Piranhas director Claudio Giovannesi during the Film at Lincoln Center and Istituto Luce Cinecittà Open Roads: New Italian Cinema Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

At the centre of Laughing (Ride) is Carolina (Chiara Martegiani), whose husband died in a work-related accident. While everybody else around her is wailing and sobbing, she cannot shed a single tear. Her 12-year-old son Bruno (Arturo Marchetti) even attacks her for this perceived coldness and she herself wonders what could be wrong with her for not going through the emotions and motions of the grieving widow.

Valerio Mastandrea on Chiara Martegiani's Carolina in Laughing (Ride): "It's not her fault that she can't respond to a cultural code that says women have to cry and be desperate." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Valerio Mastandrea had a duel role in the Open Roads: New Italian Cinema programme of films in New York. The director...

Chiara Martegiani with Laughing (Ride) director Valerio Mastandrea on crying: "For me it's a nightmare." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

In the Film at Lincoln Center and Istituto Luce Cinecittà Open Roads: New Italian Cinema program of films in New York, Valerio Mastandrea has a duel role. The director/screenwriter of Laughing (Ride) also stars with Riccardo Scamarcio, Jasmine Trinca and Isabella Ferrari in Valeria Golino's Euphoria (Euforia) which had its première in 2018 at the Cannes Film Festival.

Valerio Mastandrea was Nico Naldini, confidant to Pier Paolo Pasolini played by Willem Dafoe in Abel Ferrara's Pasolini, and Andrea Bottini in Roberto Andò's Long Live Freedom (Viva La Libertà) with Toni Servillo and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. He also starred opposite Alba Rohrwacher in Silvio Soldini's Garibaldi's Lovers (Il Comandante E La Cicogna).

Valerio Mastandrea: "Maybe you've got to reach something and stay in the scene even before crying, just...