ROME—Inspired by Debora Attanasio’s 2013 book Don’t Tell Mom I’m a Secretary, new feature film Sex Diva revisits the rise and fall of Italy’s first adult talent agency and the revolutionary family at its center.
Directed by Giulia Louise Steigerwalt, the film dives deep into the phenomenon that shaped an era, “spotlighting the unlikely blend of sexuality, politics, and cultural change that emerged from the Diva Futura studio in the 1980s and 1990s,” a description reads.
“At the heart of the story is Riccardo Schicchi, the visionary photographer and provocateur who, alongside Ilona Staller (better known worldwide as Cicciolina), redefined notions of celebrity and sexuality in Italy. From Cicciolina’s shocking election to Parliament with over 20,000 votes to Moana Pozzi’s controversial mayoral run, the Diva Futura agency and its stars blurred the line between pornography, politics and pop culture. But behind the glamour and notoriety lay deeply personal and heart-wrenching stories of a chosen family bound by freedom, love and defiance,” the description continues.
“When I first encountered Debora Attanasio’s book, I expected a scandalous exposé of the porn world,” recalled director Steigerwalt. “Instead, I discovered a romantic, passionate, and even feminist family story. Riccardo Schicchi and the women he worked with weren’t simply making porn; they were artists, revolutionaries, and in many ways, pioneers of cultural change.”
“Sex Diva weaves together the voices of those who lived it: Schicchi himself, Cicciolina, Moana Pozzi, Eva Henger and Debora, Schicchi’s young secretary whose outsider perspective gradually transforms as she becomes part of the family. Through their stories, the film explores how ideals of free love clashed with a conservative society, creating both mass adoration and public condemnation,” the description adds.
Shot in Rome in late 2023 and early 2024, the production benefited from the involvement of Eva Henger, who contributed original costumes and scenography from the real Diva Futura agency.
The cast is led by Pietro Castellitto as Riccardo Schicchi, Barbara Ronchi as Debora and an ensemble of dramatic actresses portraying some of Italy’s most iconic and controversial stars.
“Riccardo Schicchi was not a pornographer in the way society imagines,” Steigerwalt explained. “He saw nudity as art and pornography as a tool to break cultural taboos. His vision was romantic, non-violent, and rooted in freedom. Ironically, what he began as an act of liberation was ultimately consumed by a culture that turned it into something violent and commercialized. It was something he deeply regretted.”
Steigerwalt said she hopes audiences leave the theater reflecting not only on the contradictions of Sex Diva’s story, but also on how pornography continues to shape culture in hidden yet powerful ways.
“Porn is the second-largest entertainment industry in the world, and most people’s first exposure happens around age 12. Yet society refuses to talk about it. My hope is that viewers walk away remembering Riccardo’s romantic vision and asking why, after all these years, we still accept violent models of sexuality as the norm,” the director said.
Sex Diva will be available to rent or own on all major digital platforms beginning November 11.
