Given a semistable fibration $f\colon X\to B$ we introduce a correspondence between foliations $\mathcal{ F}$ on $X$ and local systems $\mathbb{ L}$ on $B$. Building up on this correspondence we find conditions that give maximal rationally connected fibrations in terms of data on the foliation. We prove the Castelnuovo-de Franchis theorem in the case of $p$-forms and we apply it to show when, under some natural conditions, a line subbundle of the sheaf of $p$-forms induces the Iitaka fibration.
Categories: math.AG