Industry

Four years after the creation of its television division, Casta Diva — part of the international Casta Diva Group — is emerging as one of Italy’s most ambitious and innovative content companies. Guided by Massimo Righini, Chief Operating Officer, the company has evolved from an agile “creative greenhouse” into a strategic pillar within the Group, expanding across unscripted, scripted, and digital formats.

“With the mandate entrusted to me by CEO Fabio Nesi, I started from scratch,” says Righini. “Together with a talented team, we’ve built a structure that now aims to become the Group’s third strategic pillar — a sign not only of financial growth, but also of our growing role within Italy’s audiovisual industry.”

From Reality to Fiction: A 360° Production Vision
From its first original format Come una volta – Un amore da favola (Real Time), Casta Diva has built long-term partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery, producing titles such as Sos Acne, D’Amore e d’Abruzzo, Pazzi di Pizza, Scarpetta d’Italia etc. for Food Network. The company entered Rai2’s daytime schedule with La porta magica (now in its second season) and reached the streaming market with Holiday Crush for Prime Video, marking its first original series for a global platform.

“It’s not common for a company just four years old to take 100 people to South Africa for an international streamer production,” notes CEO Fabio Nesi. “It was a challenge, but also a learning experience — understanding the production logic of global platforms, which differ greatly from Italian broadcasters.”

The next chapter is fiction. Casta Diva recently announced its first scripted projects, led by Alessandro De Rita, former Head of Documentaries at Fremantle Media Italy and Head of Development for Eagle Original Content. The first is a biopic on Franco Battiato, written by Monica Rametta and directed by Renato De Maria, produced for Rai1. The company is also developing Sarà perché ti amo, a musical feature film inspired by the songs of Ricchi e Poveri — an original idea by Righini himself.

“The years from 2021 to 2025 were about building and perfecting our unscripted identity,” says Righini. “Now, 2025–2026 will be the time to show who we are as fiction producers.”

A Collaborative and Multiplatform Mindset
At the core of Casta Diva’s creative philosophy lies a deep commitment to collaboration.
“No pitch is a one-man show,” stresses Righini. “Every team member contributes — from format research and international benchmarking to creative adaptation and data analysis. That shared spirit is what defines us.”
The company continues to explore new storytelling models, producing its first video podcast with a leading Italian talent, and developing an open YouTube creative lab — a digital “factory” for testing new projects, discovering talent, and engaging younger audiences.
Casta Diva also invests in continuous training to stay aligned with Gen Z trends, encouraging dialogue across departments and maintaining the strong sense of ownership that characterizes the team.

A “Big Indie” with Global Ambition
The expanded leadership team now includes Francesco Gorgoni (Head of Creative Team), Andrea Vetuschi (Head of Production), Alessandro De Rita (Head of Drama & Documentaries), and Paolo Mastromarino (Head of Format). Together, they embody Casta Diva’s evolution into an independent powerhouse with a global outlook and Italian soul.
“We want to be recognized as a true big indie,” says De Rita. “International in ambition, Italian in identity. Our goal is to grow without losing the agility and passion that make us unique.”
Casta Diva’s growth also aligns with the Group’s ESG certification and its commitment to inclusion and sustainability. Innovation, for Righini and his team, means not only creative experimentation, but also a responsible way of producing and engaging with society.