In 2016, Matteo Rovere directed a movie which launched Matilda De Angelis’ career, which won Stefano Accorsi a David di Donatello trophy, and which marked an excellent incursion by the Italian film world into the thus-far little-explored genre of motor racing. Now, ten years on from Italian Race [+lee también:
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entrevista: Matilda De Angelis
entrevista: Matteo Rovere
ficha de la película], the Roman director and producer is back on track with Motorvalley, a Netflix series (dropping on the platform on 10 February and directed by Rovere alongside Pippo Mezzapesa and Lyda Patitucci) which explores that same world across six episodes, changing and adding a considerable amount with respect to the film, but driven by the same spirit of retribution.

This time round, we’re introduced to three protagonists in search of redemption for various reasons, and they team up with the aim of clambering onto the podium of the GT Championship, living out their dreams of glory and paying off a few debts in the process. Written by Rovere in league with Francesca Manieri, Gianluca Bernardini, Michela Straniero and Erika Z. Galli, the story begins with the “slip up” made by Elena (Giulia Michelini), the scion of the prestigious Dionisi team, who resorts to underhand means to secure victory for her squad but who is subsequently caught out and disqualified, a discovery which results in her beloved father’s death. One year later, Elena’s disqualification has expired and she’s ready to take back what’s hers, going so far as to compete with her brother who has taken over the reins of the family team.

In order to do this, Elena must pull together a new team. She subsequently hires Blu (Caterina Forza) - a huge talent when it comes to cars (and underground racing) - as her driver, and former driver Arturo (Luca Argentero) - who retired after causing a tragic accident - as coach: “A failure scraped out of the bottom of the barrel” and “an out of control jailbird”, as they’re soon described by their detractors. But Elena Dionisi has an iron will and, despite endless obstacles, conflicts and skeletons in their cupboards, the trio manage to come together over their shared goal: winning the Italian Gran Turismo Championship cup. Because, as the series’ mantra goes, “a champion is born when someone believes in them”.

Shot in the authentic surrounds of Motor Valley in the Emilio-Romagna region, where the biggest champions of Italian motor racing and motorcycling earned their stripes, Motorvalley conveys the adrenaline, the unbridled passion and the considerable craziness which characterise the world of 300mph racing. It combines car-based action – not least spectacular urban car-chase sequences, because races aren’t confined to the tracks – with family drama, a coming-of-age narrative and a criminal underlayer which, between bets, thefts and other illicit activities, reaches its way into the ups and downs of the paddock in multiple ways. It’s an ambitious series in production terms, which might initially seem predictable, but which gradually reveals additional layers and twists and turns. We’re even willing to overlook its occasional excesses or implausible inclusions in the name of a good entertaining ride for a young adult audience, which ends with a big enough cliffhanger to warrant a second season.

Motorvalley is a series produced by Matteo Rovere on behalf of Groenlandia (belonging to the Banijay Group).