MAFIA IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE
O.V in Italian subtitled in English and Spanish
In addition to winning the Jury's Special Prize in Venice this year, this film triggered the loudest laughter heard on the Lido throughout the festival. Maresco goes from the absolute triviality to a very fine analysis of the mafia's heritage in Palermo, hand in hand with a series of impossible characters. When celebrating the 25th anniversary of the assassination of the anti-mafia judges Falcone and Borsellino, two visions clash: the one of photographer and activist (fascinating lady) Letizia Battaglia, who looks with skepticism at the tributes. And the one of entertainment businessman Ciccio Mira (also the protagonist of Belluscone), an opportunist scoundrel who organises an evening with his "neomelodic" singers, in a city where nobody wants to speak out, even today, against the mafia.
Direction: Franco Maresco
Script: Franco Maresco, Claudia Uzzo
Cinematography: Tommaso Lusena De Sarmiento
Editing: Edoardo Morabito, Francesco Guttuso
Music: Salvatore Bonafede
Sound: Francesco Guttuso, Giuliano La Franca, Luca Bertolin
Cast: Letizia Battaglia, Ciccio Mira
Production: Rean Mazzone, Anna Vinci, Daniele Moretti, Paolo Quaregna
Production Company: Ila Palma, Dream Film
FRANCO MARESCO
Franco Maresco is an Italian director, screenwriter and editor, known for his duo collaboration with Daniele Ciprì as Ciprì and Maresco. They began working in 1986 for a private network in Palermo. Between the end of the '80s and the beginning of the '90s the duo became known and appreciated on television. In 2008 the artistic duo dissolved and Maresco continued his career alone. Belluscone. Una storia siciliana (2014) won the Special Jury Prize in the Orizzonti section of Venice IFF. His latest documentary, La mafia non è più quella di una volta (2019) won the Special Jury Prize.