A new Italian crime series, Pale Mountains (Brennero), exploring murder and deep-seated cultural tensions in the unique region of South Tyrol, is heading to North American screens via Walter Presents this May. The show stars Elena Radonicich and Matteo Martari.
Here’s the Lowdown: Set in present-day Bolzano, a city in Italy’s German-speaking South Tyrol province, the series begins with a murder. Ambitious German-heritage deputy prosecutor Eva Kofler (Elena Radonicich) and reckless Italian police inspector Paolo Costa (Matteo Martari) must work together despite their conflicting personalities and backgrounds. Eva suspects the crime is linked to the “monster of Bolzano,” a serial killer targeting German speakers, potentially reigniting old ethnic conflicts rooted in events like the 1961 Night of Fire. Paolo, however, isn’t convinced. The investigation involves Eva’s father Gerhard (Richard Sammel), the former chief prosecutor. Pale Mountains premieres in the US and Canada on May 9 on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel and other Walter Presents channels.
What This Means Now: The story presents an immediate mystery surrounding the identity and motives of the killer. The core tension comes from the oil-and-water partnership between Eva and Paolo, whose personal histories are deeply tied to the case. Eva seeks to prove her worth, while Paolo looks for justice after being injured and losing his partner (Naike Anna Silipo) in a previous encounter with the killer. Their investigation forces them to confront difficult truths.
The Bigger Picture: Pale Mountains uses a crime narrative to examine the historical friction between Italian and German communities in South Tyrol. While solving current murders and unrelated crimes, the series looks into how past events continue to shape the present in this Alpine region. The cast also includes Giovanni Carta, Lavinia Longhi, Paolo Briguglia, Lia Grieco, and Anita Zagaria.
