From international film festivals to the world’s most popular streaming platform: how Serendip won over Netflix, bringing TakeMeBack’s message of solidarity to a global audience.
Serendip, the documentary directed by Marco Napoli, chronicles the incredible journey of the TakeMeBack organization, led by Antonio Di Leonardo and Andrea Mariani, through the most remote areas of Sri Lanka to provide school supplies to children.
Before landing on Netflix, the film followed an extraordinary journey. What seemed like an unattainable dream became a reality, allowing the solidarity project to reach a global audience. But how can a dream—an idea that seems extravagant and impossible—turn into reality, become a documentary, and make its way to Netflix, the world’s most famous streaming platform?
Here are some interesting… behind-the-scenes tidbits!
“La Gavetta” at International Film Festivals
Serendip’s journey (fun fact: “Serendip” is the ancient name for Sri Lanka) began with its screening at several international film festivals, including events in Mexico City, Tokyo, and Kyoto. Although it hadn’t been shown at the specific festivals initially requested by Netflix, the film managed to turn heads. Thanks to the collaboration with Pantera Film, a Los Angeles-based distribution company, and thanks to the support of distribution manager Annalisa Zanierato, the film was presented to OD Media, a company that acts as an intermediary for the pre-selection of content to be proposed to Netflix.
An Idea That Wins Over Netflix
At first, the prospects seemed limited, as Netflix was focusing on documentaries that had been screened at renowned film festivals. However, the strength of the concept behind *Serendip* impressed the selectors. After a few months of waiting, however, the film was considered and passed through several rounds of selection. Finally, Netflix offered a contract to keep the documentary on the platform for an initial period of three years.
An Unexpected Success
When Serendip was finally released on Netflix, it was immediately met with great curiosity and interest. The documentary was featured in the “Most Anticipated” section, alongside series like Stranger Things and major documentaries such as the one on Michael Schumacher, capturing the attention and curiosity of viewers across Europe. The TakeMeBack team began receiving messages of praise not only from the public but also from those working on creating subtitles in various languages (9 in total), including French, Portuguese, and even Greek.
A Global Success
Thanks to the documentary’s impact, Netflix subsequently requested that Serendip remain on the platform for another two years, thereby extending the film’s visibility through September 2025. This success has enabled TakeMeBack’s message of solidarity and transparency to reach a global audience, helping to raise awareness among more and more peopleabout the importance of direct aid without intermediaries.
“Serendip was, from the very beginning, a fantasy—my stubborn and reckless desire to interpret an initiative as powerful in both message and form as *Take Me Back* through the lens of my own personal cinematic taste. I followed the journey, meticulously filming everything that had captivated me in those places while participating in the mission as a silent observer. The gestation of a creative work is always like the birth of a part of yourself; you need to show it to the world, but at the same time you’re afraid it won’t be received as you’d hoped. I told the story of that journey through my own eyes, and it was uplifting to see my emotions reflected in those of so many others,” explained director Marco Napoli.
The story of Serendip on Netflix demonstrates that when a project has a strong and authentic mission, it can overcome any obstacle and touch people’s hearts. The documentary continues to inspire viewers around the world, carrying the message of solidarity from TakeMeBack and the Solidarity Couriers to new horizons, while its presence on Netflix serves as a springboard for the future of the global charity.