The limited series Sicily Express has premiered today on Netflix, marking a continuation of the partnership between the platform and the Sicilian production house Tramp Limited. The five-episode project is written and directed by Salvo Ficarra and Valentino Picone, who also star in the leading roles. The ensemble cast features Katia Follesa and Barbara Tabita as the protagonists’ spouses, Claudia and Maria Teresa. Supporting roles include Max Tortora, portraying the President of the Council (Prime Minister), and Sergio Vastano as the medical director of the Milanese clinic. The cast is rounded out by appearances from Jerry Calà, acting as the Minister of the Interior, and Giorgio Tirabassi in the role of a police detective. The screenplay was developed by the directing duo in collaboration with Fabrizio Cestaro, Fabrizio Testini, and Nicola Guaglianone.
Narrative Premise
The narrative structure centers on Salvo and Valentino, two nurses originating from Sicily but employed in Milan. The script explores the “pendolare” (commuter) dynamic, characterizing the protagonists as workers divided between their professional obligations in Lombardy and their families in the South. The plot introduces a speculative narrative device—a “magical portal” located within a dumpster in Piazza del Duomo—which allows for instantaneous travel between the two regions. Triggered by a wish from Valentino’s daughter, this mechanism serves to disrupt the linear time constraints of the holiday season, forcing the characters to manage a dual existence that becomes increasingly unstable.
Filming Logistics and Technical Credits
Production data indicates a centralized shooting schedule despite the dual setting. Principal photography was conducted primarily in Rome, with approximately 42 shooting days dedicated to studio interiors and sets. Location work was utilized to establish the visual contrast between the two environments: the crew spent 30 days in Noto to capture the Baroque aesthetics of the Sicilian setting, while the Milanese sequences were completed over a six-day period. The series features cinematography by Gregor Božič and an original score composed by Paolo Buonvino and Vittorio Giannelli.
Industrial and Cultural Context
The release of Sicily Express occurs simultaneously with the launch of a new railway service of the same name by FS Treni Turistici Italiani, which connects Turin to Palermo. The series engages with the current discourse regarding the “caro-voli” (high flight costs) and domestic mobility, juxtaposing the fictional magical solution against the infrastructural realities of the Italian transport sector. The narrative incorporates elements of magical realism to address these socio-economic themes, moving beyond traditional farce to comment on the logistics of internal migration.
Distribution
All five episodes of Sicily Express are available for streaming on Netflix as of today.
