The Lions of Sicily on Disney+ this October
August 4, 2023
Disney+ has announced that the new Italian Original series “The Lions of Sicily”, the family saga based on Stefania Auci’s bestseller “The Florios of Sicily”, will debut on October 25 with the first four episodes exclusively on the streaming service, while the remaining four will be available from November 1st.
From director Paolo Genovese, who is also its creative producer, the 8-part series is produced by Francesco and Federico Scardamaglia for Compagnia Leone Cinematografica; and Raffaella Leone and Marco Belardi of Lotus Production, a Leone Film Group Company. “The Lions of Sicily” is written by Ludovica Rampoldi and Stefano Sardo.
“The Lions of Sicily” is the compelling story of the Florio family. Brothers Paolo and Ignazio are two small spice merchants who have escaped from a Calabria stuck in the past and in search of social redemption. In Sicily they invent a future, turning a small, run-down shop into a flourish business activity that young Vincenzo, with his revolutionary ideas, will transform into an economic empire. However, overwhelming Vincenzo’s life and that of the entire family is the disruptive arrival of Giulia, a strong and intelligent woman who is in contrast with the rigid rules of the society of the time. “The Lions of Sicily” is a family saga filled with love, family, success, wars and revolutions, which takes place in Sicily from 1800 until the Proclamation of the Kingdom in Italy in 1861.
The series stars Michele Riondino as Vincenzo Florio, Miriam Leone as Giulia Portalupi, Donatella Finocchiaro as Giuseppina, Vinicio Marchioni as Paolo Florio, Eduardo Scarpetta as Ignazio Florio (Vincenzo’s son), Paolo Briguglia as Ignazio Florio, Ester Pantano as young Giuseppina and Adele Cammarata as Giovanna D’Ondes.