Scripted

Italian broadcaster RAI is set to premiere the three-part drama Le libere donne on March 10 in primetime on Rai 1 on Women's Day.

Directed by Michele Soavi and starring Lino Guanciale, the series is produced by Rai Fiction and Endemol Shine Italy and is loosely based on the novel Le libere donne di Magliano by Mario Tobino, published by Mondadori Libri.

Set between Lucca and Viareggio during the final years of World War II, the story follows psychiatrist Mario Tobino (Guanciale), an unconventional doctor and passionate poet who challenges the rigid and oppressive rules of the female psychiatric hospital of Maggiano in order to defend the dignity of its patients.

Within the institution, some women have retreated into madness as a form of escape, while others have been unjustly confined simply for asserting their independence. According to director Soavi, the series aims to reflect on the historical condition of women while resonating with contemporary debates about freedom and justice.

The narrative takes a dramatic turn with the arrival of Margherita Lenzi, played by Grace Kicaj, a young woman committed to the asylum by her husband against her will. Suspecting she may be the victim of abuse and manipulation rather than mental illness, Tobino begins a search for the truth that places his professional position at risk.

At the same time, he finds support from Dr. Anselmi (Fabrizio Biggio), a young and idealistic colleague, while confronting unresolved feelings for Paola Levi (Gaia Messerklinger), a former love who has become a partisan courier.

Written by Peter Exacoustos and Laura Nuti, Le libere donne blends historical drama and romance while exploring the fragile boundary between passion and madness, and the enduring conflict between social conformity and individual freedom.

The series is produced with the patronage of the Municipality of Lucca and in collaboration with the Mario Tobino Foundation. The cast also includes Paolo Giovannucci, Massimo Nicolini, Paolo Briguglia, Pia Lanciotti, Paola Sambo, Francesca Cavallin and Luigi Diberti, among others.