Filming is scheduled for October and November, but details on the director and main cast remain undisclosed.
We`ve collected them, traded them, and cherished them like priceless treasures. Soon, these iconic Panini stickers will make their debut on the small screen. A new TV series, based on Luigi Garlando`s book L’album dei sogni (The Album of Dreams) and produced by Indigo Film with support from the Emilia-Romagna Film Commission, will chronicle the history of this beloved pocket-sized phenomenon. Airing on Rai, the production will explore how these simple stickers, with their element of surprise, the thrill of finding a missing idol, and the excitement of trading, have united generations.
The Genesis of a Dream
The story begins on Corso Duomo in Modena, where a young widow purchased a small newsstand in installments. There, her four sons—Giuseppe, Franco, Cosimo, Umberto, and Benito—had a brilliant idea: they acquired an old stock of Nannina publisher`s stickers and began reselling them, two at a time, in white envelopes with red borders. The success was instant and overwhelming. Everyone wanted them, yet no one knew how to produce them. Consequently, this family shop swiftly evolved into an industry, adept at understanding the times and focusing directly on what passionately captivated Italians: football.
A Generational Success Story
“The TV series will begin at the start but won`t reach the very end,” explains Garlando. “The timeline will be more condensed compared to the novel, which concludes in 1988 with the sale of the company. After its debut in the 1940s, the fiction will span the 1950s and 60s, then conclude in the 1970s. It will focus on the human adventures of the protagonists unfolding against evolving historical backdrops, reflecting Italy of that era, poised between innovation and tradition. I am very eager to see how it turns out.”
Filming Details
While the plot is established, details regarding the cast and director remain a mystery. However, open casting calls for extras are currently underway, running until Thursday, September 11, from 10 AM to 6 PM, at Corso Vittorio Emanuele 42 in Modena. Filming is set to commence on October 13 and will continue until November 10.
