Biopics, true crime stories, and documentaries raise a question that is only seemingly simple: Is the consent of the subject required? Under Italian law, there is no actual right of ownership over one’s own biography. Protection, instead, is provided through rights related to one’s image, reputation, privacy, personal identity, and the proper handling of sources. This Insight analyzes the role of “life rights” and the main legal risks for producers, authors, and platforms.

The legal soundness of an audiovisual project is established as early as the development phase. This Insight analyzes the role of the chain of title, option and development agreements, rights management, and due diligence in making a project more bankable, negotiable, and attractive to broadcasters, streaming platforms, investors, and co-producers.