At the fifth edition of the Nastri d’Argento – Grandi Serie awards, the Disney+ miniseries takes home the title of Best Crime Series.
The Nastro d’Argento was awarded on Saturday 31 May at the historic Villa Pignatelli in Naples, during the evening organised by the National Union of Italian Film Journalists (SNGCI). Avetrana – Qui non è Hollywood—the most-watched general entertainment series on Disney+ since 2020—beat out Acab, Dostoevskij, Stucky and The Bad Guy 2 to win Best Crime Series of the latest television season.
The project is directed by Pippo Mezzapesa, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Antonella W. Gaeta and Davide Serino. It is produced by Matteo Rovere for Groenlandia, with Disney+ serving as distributor. Cinematography is by Giuseppe Maio CCS, with editing by Marcello Saurino, Francesca Addonizio and Vincenzo Soprano. Standout cast members include Vanessa Scalera (as Cosima Serrano), Giulia Perulli (Sabrina Misseri), Paolo De Vita (Michele Misseri) and Federica Pala (Sarah Scazzi), joined by Imma Villa, Anna Ferzetti and Giancarlo Commare. The series consists of four 60-minute episodes and is inspired by the investigative book Sarah. La ragazza di Avetrana by Carmine Gazzanni and Flavia Piccinni. Sarah. The Girl from Avetrana by Carmine Gazzanni amd Flavia Piccinni.
“It’s an award that fills me with joy: it honours an extraordinary team that told a complex and painful story with passion and sensitivity,” wrote Mezzapesa, thanking the writers, crew and cast shortly after the announcement of the prize.
HERE IS A DETAILED CINEMATOGRAPHY NOTE BY GIUSEPPE MAIO (Courtesy of Disney+)
From my very first reading of the series script, I was struck by how each episode focused sharply on a specific point of view belonging to one of the protagonists. Starting from such a solid piece of writing, Pippo and I decided to develop each episode through distinct yet deliberate aesthetic and narrative choices: for us, it was essential that these reflect the inner dynamics of the character being portrayed. We wanted the series to embrace genre cinema in all its forms, while remaining in close dialogue with the existential and more realistic impact of the story.
Episode 1 – “Sarah”
This is a kind of coming-of-age story: the colours are vibrant—the blue of the sea, the high summer sun—while a girl steps fully into her youth. The handheld camera moves lightly, accompanying the explosive force of adolescence. What begins as the photography of a perfect summer gradually darkens, giving way to sinister undertones; a more mysterious light starts to introduce elements that disrupt the episode’s main visual architecture.
Second Episode – “Sabrina”
The chromatic balance established in the previous episode gives way to something more distorted and unsettling. The camera’s movement becomes more measured, losing its earlier lightness, while the details begin to form an introspective mosaic. Sabrina seeks redemption in the media spotlight, a beauty she has never found. The cinematography underscores the protagonist’s mental process: it’s a more “chaotic” visual exploration, shifting through glossy, dazzling moments. The photographers’ flashes are intrusive but fleeting—lasting only the time of a single shot—before shadow returns to envelop her solitude. The use of wide-angle lenses helps to convey a sense of detachment from reality.
Third Episode – “Uncle Michele”
The chromatic balance established in the previous episode gives way to something more distorted and unsettling; the camera work becomes more controlled, losing its earlier lightness, and the details begin to form an introspective mosaic. Sabrina seeks redemption in the media spotlight—a beauty she never found. The cinematography highlights the protagonist’s mental journey: a more “chaotic” visual search that moves through glossy, dazzling moments. The photographers’ flashes are intrusive, but last only the time of a single shot, and shadow is ready to wrap itself around her solitude. The use of wide-angle lenses helps to create a sense of detachment from reality.
Fourth Episode – “Cosima”
This is the darkest episode: the camera acts as a cold narrator, and the colours give way to desaturation. Sunlight no longer filters through the windows; a cold light takes over, and the blinds in the house are drawn. Cosima is portrayed as a shadow—silhouettes and muted tones become the stylistic hallmark of the narrative. The calibrated, clinical visual language—through the use of dollies or static shots—depicts the character in all her rigidity.
We also include critical acclaim for Giuseppe Maio’s cinematography.
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«One is struck by Giuseppe Maio’s cinematography, which, with poetic sensitivity, makes the sea feel like the only escape from an apparently monotonous setting» – Quarta Parete Roma
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«The dark cinematography, the close-ups brimming with unease, and the long silences all serve a narrative in which two worlds pushed to the extreme seem to collide.» – Aldo Grasso, iO Donna
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MyMovies highlights “a meticulous attention to cinematography and makeup, with an impressive result in terms of realism.”
