Regular Russ Kilbourn and today's guest Roberta Cauchi-Santoro have just edited a collection of essays on screen adaptations of the novels of internationally successful Italian novelist Elena Ferrante. In this episode Roberta introduces us to Ferrante and her fiction then we discuss those adaptations, including the 34-part Sky series 'My Brilliant Friend' (2018-24) and the 6-part Netflix series ' The Lying Life of Adults' (2023). Three film adaptations are discussed, Troubling Love (1992), Days of Abandonment (2005) and The Lost Daughter (2021). We explore her insistence on anonymity, key themes in her fiction, particularly relating to the female experience, including the evolving relationship with mothers. We unpack Ferrante's concept and book 'Frantumaglia' as again, reflecting women's experience and 'smarginatura' whilst also comparing and contrasting the novels and films and much more. A wide-ranging examination of Ferrante on screen.
Participants:
Roberta Cauchi-Santoro, Associate Professor Department of Italian and French Studies, St Jerome's University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada https://uwaterloo.ca/st-jeromes/profiles/roberta-cauchi-santoro
Russ Kilbourn, Professor of English and Film Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada http://rjakilbourn.com/
Ken Barrett, UK based visual artist, writer, podcaster and short film producer http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/
Roberta and Russ's book: https://www.sefeditrice.it/catalogo/framing-ferrante-adaptation-and-intermediality-in-the-works-of-elena-ferrante/21029
Details of the adaptations discussed:
Troubling Love (1992): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112352/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_amore%20molest
Days of Abandonment (2005): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0474694/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_4_nm_0_in_0_q_days%20of%20abandonment
My Brilliant Friend (Neapolitan quartet; 2018-24)): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7278862/?ref_=fn_i_1
The Lost Daughter (2021): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9100054/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_9_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_the%20lost
The Lying Life of Adults (2023): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12708140/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_le%20bugiard
'Framing Ferrante' The book of essays just edited by Russ and Roberta:https://www.sefeditrice.it/catalogo/framing-ferrante-adaptation-and-intermediality-in-the-works-of-elena-ferrante/21029
Frantumaglia: A writer's journey: https://www.europaeditions.co.uk/book/9781609454326/frantumaglia.-a-writer-s-journey
The graphic novel of 'My Brilliant Friend': https://www.europaeditions.com/news/2637/coming-this-fall-my-brilliant-friend-the-graphic-novel
Theme music: Tarantella composed by Stephen Brown.
Artwork by KB
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