Ferrante Fever

Calling all Elena Ferrante fans – this is obligatory viewing! The Italian writer is once again landing on Norwegian bookshelves this spring, with the novel Frantumaglia. Ferrante has previously conquered the world with her Naples quartet and her fantastic descriptions of that city – as well as of the inner life of humans. The Ferrante phenomenon reached new heights with the HBO show My Brilliant Friend (2018), and it is almost impossible to not have picked up on Ferrante’s popularity. This documentary tells the story of her authorship, and provides a unique insight into her work and artistic vision. Through interviews with critics, publishers, editors, and other writers, it also says a lot about how and why Ferrante has become such a sensation.

We are living in a time where celebrities are worshipped and fame is a virtue, and everyone wants to get to know the person behind the books. Are their stories self-lived? What’s fiction, what are facts? Ferrante has chosen complete anonymity, and we know absolutely nothing about the immensely popular writer. Where does she live? How old is she? Is she even actually a woman? The writer in this case exists only through her works. Is the anonymity a strategic choice, or is it based on a genuine wish for her readers to avoid being influenced by who has written the stories they enjoy so much?