A new miniseries titled Supersex has been created by feminist filmmaker Francesca Manieri, offering a candid and unsettling look at the life of male porn superstar Rocco Siffredi. The series, consisting of seven parts, is set to be released on Netflix, delving into the story of Siffredi from his impoverished childhood in 1960s Italy to his rise as a prominent figure in the adult entertainment industry.

Francesca Manieri, known for her work on the gender-fluid coming-of-age HBO series We Are Who We Are, initially found the idea of dramatizing Rocco Siffredi’s life to be an unlikely collaboration. However, she ultimately saw the potential for their differing perspectives on masculinity to create an intriguing piece of art. Manieri believes that exploring maleness from a female point of view is significant in today’s context, and she saw the opportunity to delve into the core of masculinity through the portrayal of Siffredi.

The series, titled Supersex, draws its name from a porn magazine that young Rocco Tano, later known as Siffredi, stumbled upon in his childhood. This chance encounter with a superhero character in the magazine led him into the sex club scene in Paris, ultimately propelling him into the adult entertainment industry. Despite announcing his retirement in 2004, Siffredi returned to the industry in 2009 and has since continued to be a prominent figure in porn, with occasional ventures into arthouse cinema.

Supersex offers a graphic and raw exploration of toxic hyper-masculinity, shedding light on the excesses of masculinity through the lens of a feminist filmmaker. The miniseries aims to provide a thought-provoking narrative of Siffredi’s life, highlighting the complexities and impact of his career on the adult entertainment industry.