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An Italian Netflix series based on the life of the first modern female lawyer in the country has finally returned for its second season.
The Law According to Lidia Poet was created by Guido Iuculano and Davide Orsini and stars Matilda De Angelis, who previously appeared in the films Italian Race and Rose Island, as well as in The Undoing alongside Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.
The first season of the Italian series was released on Netflix last year and holds an impressive 100% rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes.
It begins in 1883, when an appellate court in Turin rules that Lidia Poët’s enrollment in the albo degli avvocati is illegal and disbars her.
Lidia then finds a job at her brother Enrico’s law firm while preparing her appeal to overturn the court’s decision and then begins investigating murders.
Fans have praised the show, with one saying it was ‘one of the most entertaining series based on a true story I’ve ever seen’.
An Italian Netflix series with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating has finally returned (Picture: Netflix)
Meanwhile another wrote that it was an ‘absolutely gorgeous series’.
‘Everything is impeccable: the storyline, writing, the set and costumes, the acting. So enjoyable. Sorry to see it end after only 6 episodes. Longing for more, so I’ll just have to watch it again!’ they added.
After nearly two years off screens, the second season has finally arrived on the streaming service.
An officially synopsis teases: ‘Lidia is back, ready to tackle new cases and continue fighting for fairer laws. Who will assist her in her battles? Her beloved brother Enrico, the charismatic new prosecutor Fourneau, or the brave Jacopo?’
Matilda De Angelis stars in The Law According to Lidia Poet, which was inspired by a real-life figure (Picture: Netflix)
At the time when the series was set, Italy had only been a nation-state for just over 20 years and was ruled by King Victor Emmanuel II.
It would be another 62 years before women were granted full suffrage and female students had only been permitted to attend university just over a decade earlier.
Although Lidia made history by becoming Italy’s first woman lawyer, she was disbarred three months into her career after the attorney general made it clear he didn’t approve.
One fan has called the series ‘impeccable’ (Picture: Netflix)
There was fierce public debate around the issue and although the decision wasn’t reversed, she continued to work in her brother’s law office.
However, she wasn’t permitted to sign letters or plead in court, so she would ask her male colleagues to conduct these parts of the job for her.
Although it took decades, in 1920 Lidia was permitted to practice law again when she was 64.
After dedicating her life to fighting for women’s rights and gender equality, she eventually died aged 93 in 1949 after witnessing Italian women earn the right to vote for the first time after the end of World War II, which happened in 1946.
The Law According to Lidia Poet is streaming on Netflix.
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