Fremantle gains global option rights for Raffaella Carrà doc
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Joseph O'Halloran
| 21 December 2021
Global producer and distributor Fremantle has secured the exclusive option rights from the official right owners to create an in-depth documentary looking at the life and cultural impact of Italian actress, recording artist, presenter, model, and cultural icon Raffaella Carrà.

Fremantle Canzonissima 21Dec2021The new Fremantle documentary will chart the incredible life story of one of Italy’s most inspirational women. Born in Bologna in 1943, she was to rise from very humble beginnings to become the ‘lady of Italian television’ and died earlier this year aged 78.

Carrà’s career as the superstar of Italian TV spanned an incredible seven decades, as she became a symbol of liberation and women’s rights. She continually pushed the boundaries, challenging conservative morality, and presenting herself as a free, self-aware, and independent woman. In 1965, she signed a deal with 20th Century Fox, following in the footsteps of artists such as Gina Lollobrigida, Sophia Loren and Virna Lisi, and appeared in the film Von Ryan's Express alongside Frank Sinatra, Edward Mulhar, and Trevor Howard.

Her popularity grew in Spain and across Europe and Latin America as her reputation as a leading music artist continued to grow, with albums such as Forte Forte Forte, released in 36 countries around the world. Carrà also challenged the status quo in her heyday. Through her work, she helped women be more confident about their bodies and their sexuality, encouraging everyone to feel free to express themselves. She was to become a strong supporter and icon of the LGBTQ+ community and was recognised at the 2017 World Pride Madrid.

The Fremantle project has been spearheaded by Andrea Scrosati, (Group COO, CEO Continental Europe), Gabriele Immirzi (CEO, Italy), Nathalie García (CEO, Spain) alongside Mandy Chang (global head of documentaries) and Alessandro De Rita (Italian head of documentaries). The project will also be supported in Spain by Fernando Jerez (MD, EN Cero Coma Producciones).