Netflix expanded its European teen drama slate with the global release of Minerva Academy, an Italian series set inside a rigid, tradition-bound military high school in Naples. Picomedia produced the eight-episode miniseries, which arrived worldwide on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. The project was initially previewed at the Giffoni Film Festival, running from July 17 to 25, 2026, before its simultaneous premiere on the streaming network.
Release, Format, and Early Screenings
The entire eight-episode first season dropped at once on Netflix, allowing viewers to stream the entire narrative in a single weekend. The series is presented primarily in Italian, with Italian and English subtitles available alongside multiple dubbed audio tracks. In France, the episodes launched simultaneously on September 22 with French subtitles. The show’s creators—Ivano Fachin, Giovanni Galassi, Tommaso Matano, and Michela Straniero—structured the miniseries around roughly 50-minute episodes directed by Ivan Silvestrini and produced by Roberto Sessa.
Plot and Setting
Minerva Academy takes its inspiration from real Italian military high schools, placing its characters inside a Naples institute governed by strict rules, strict hierarchies, and absolute supervision. Students at the academy are barred from using mobile phones, wearing civilian clothes, or engaging in romantic relationships. Alongside standard academic classes, the curriculum mandates military tactics and fencing drills.
The narrative focuses on three first-year students whose personal agendas drive the central conflict. Salvo, played by Ciro Minopoli in his first major credit, enters the academy from a group home to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of his closest friend, Francesco. Vincenzo, portrayed by Biagio Venditti, seeks to follow his father into a military career. Camilla, played by Margherita Buoncristiani, arrives as a privileged teenager from Milan sent by her parents in hopes that the strict environment will reform her behavior. Beyond the initial coming-of-age framework, the plot pivots toward themes of power, institutional loyalty, personal identity, and the stark contrast between the academy’s public image and its internal reality.
Cast and Production Team
The ensemble cast blends emerging young actors with established Italian screen veterans. Massimiliano Gallo takes on the role of Achille Giordano, the all-powerful commander of the institution, bringing prior experience from Netflix’s Vanished Into the Night and Paolo Sorrentino’s The Hand of God. Cristiana Capotondi stars as Laura Canali, a philosophy teacher who serves as the sole civilian voice inside the military-governed school.
Trailer and Promotional Campaign
MVSRS released the official season one trailer, titled La Scuola, on YouTube on September 12, 2026—ten days ahead of the series premiere. The 1-minute and 28-second promotional clip accumulated more than 70,000 views and approximately 1,000 likes. The footage highlights the institute’s grueling daily routines, uniform inspections, and fencing sessions, while emphasizing the underlying tension, trauma, and hidden secrets enforced by the academy’s strict regulations.
Episode Guide
The complete eight-episode first season features the following titles:
- Episode 1: The Smallsword
- Episode 2: The Circuit
- Episode 3: The Theft
- Episode 4: The Leave
- Episode 5: The Competition
- Episode 6: The War
- Episode 7: The Mak P
- Episode 8: The Ball
