The Italian director of Ladies’ Night and Without Men has lined up her next project, a drama based on Argentinian author Federico Andahazi’s book about the 16th century surgeon who discovered the clitoris.

The $10m English-language film is being fully financed by Italian private equity and is scheduled to commence shooting in March for two months.

Andrea Iervolino will serve as producer.

The novel tells the true story of Mateo Colombo, an ‘anatomist’ whose desire for an Italian courtesan led him to search for the physical source of love.

The doctor escaped execution during the Spanish Inquisition, cured the Pope, wrote a controversial book and created a ‘treatment’ that caused women to fall in love with any man who used it.

“Female orgasms continue to be a mystery to many men and some women,” Tagliavini said.

Tagliavini is represented by Ramses Ishak and Michael Sheresky at UTA, manager Carlos Bobadilla at Haven and attorney Todd Rubenstein at Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner and Gellman.