«You can see what a wreck I’ve become, though I’m still a fine-looking lady»
With this quip, delivered as she stepped off the water taxi at the Excelsior hotel, Emanuela Fanelli won over the red carpet at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The Rome-born actress, 40 in real life, arrived at the Lido with prosthetic makeup, a short blonde wig and an elegant, matronly outfit, convincingly transforming her into a 63-year-old woman. Far from a mere publicity stunt, it was a live staging of the character she plays in Peccato, the series she’s presenting Out of Competition, projecting the audience straight into 2049.
Peccato is a mockumentary comedy created, written and performed by Fanelli herself alongside Giulio Somazzi and director Valerio Vestoso, and it is the only TV series included in the 83rd Festival’s program, selected for the Venice Open – Out of Competition section. The show imagines an ironic “what if”: Fanelli, now far removed from the spotlight, lives in isolation in a remote village in the Aosta Valley, no longer acts, avoids photographers and journalists, and appears to have been forgotten even by the entertainment world. The mystery behind the scandal that drove her into retirement unfolds across six episodes through an original blend of real archival material, fictional reconstructions, interviews and TV clips.
Alongside Fanelli, an exceptional cast brings together some of the best-loved names in Italian film and television: Alessandro Borghi, Sabrina Ferilli, Ferzan Özpetek, Valerio Mastandrea, Anna Bonaiuto, Geppi Cucciari, Massimo De Lorenzo, Francesca Archibugi, Paolo Virzì, Paolo Genovese, Paola Cortellesi, Caterina Balivo and Giovanni Floris, among others.
Valerio Vestoso’s direction skilfully balances comic moments with more intimate glimpses, giving Peccato that blend of affection and ruthlessness which defines its style. Produced by Be Water Film with the participation of HBO Max and in collaboration with Rai Cinema, the series will premiere exclusively on the streaming platform on October 2, with a new episode available every Friday. The official trailer, released alongside the announcement of the release date, has already been met with great enthusiasm from audiences and industry insiders alike.
With her irresistible wit and her gift for laughing at the fragilities and contradictions of the entertainment world, Emanuela Fanelli signs a project set to become one of the most original and eagerly awaited Italian productions of the autumn, once again confirming her talent both in front of and behind the camera.
Photo Cediti: By LucaFazPhoto – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0,
