Elsa Morante’s La Storia is a sweeping Italian historical drama miniseries directed by Francesca Archibugi and based on the celebrated 1974 novel by Elsa Morante. First broadcast in Italy in January 2024, the eight-episode series blends intimate storytelling with the vast upheaval of World War II and its aftermath.

Set largely in Rome during the 1940s, the narrative follows Ida Ramundo, a timid schoolteacher and widowed mother played by Jasmine Trinca (Romanzo Criminale, The Best of Youth). Ida hides her Jewish heritage while struggling to survive amid fascist rule, Nazi occupation and the devastation of war. After a traumatic assault by a German soldier leaves her pregnant, she must raise two sons while navigating poverty, displacement and the constant threat of persecution.

The series combines personal drama with historical realism, depicting bombings, resistance movements and the daily hardships of ordinary Italians. Ida’s older son Nino becomes entangled in the political turmoil of the era, while her younger child Useppe embodies fragile hope in a collapsing world.

Featuring a strong ensemble cast that includes Elio Germano (Suburra), Asia Argento (Mafiosa, Mother of Tears) and Valerio Mastandrea (Diabolik), Elsa Morante’s La Storia received strong ratings and critical acclaim, winning Italy’s Nastri d’Argento for Best Series of the Year. The result is a powerful, hard-hitting female-centered chronicle that examines how sweeping historical forces reshape ordinary lives.