A 2X52' Documentary by ANNE VERON
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AB INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION PRESENTS A 2X52’ documentary by ANNE VERON THE AMERICAN & SICILIAN MAFIAS : TWO FACTIONS THAT HAVE GIVEN CRIME A LEGENDARY STATUS A 2X52’ documentary by ANNE VERON SYNOPSIS NOTE OF INTENTION It has inspired the biggest directors. Be it the images of corpses strewn on This documentary in two episodes will One only needs to look at the photographs Plenty writers have helped immortalise the streets of New York or Palermo, of recount the history of the Cosa Nostra of Luciano Leggio when appearing at his it. The Cosa Nostra is the aristocracy of a disembowelled highway, blown up from its beginning in Sicily in the ‘50s until trial at the tribunal of Palermo in 1974: he organised crime. With its codes, its ho- by half a ton of explosives to get rid of these days. seems to have been set upon resembling nour-system, the omerta, the vendettas… a magistrate having become a thorn in Marlon Brando as Don Corleone with his The Cosa Nostra also encompasses all of the eye…The everyday drama of mob This story is told through testimonials of cigar, his heavy jaw and his arrogant de- the superlatives: the most mythical, ele- violence, the blood of the victims and repented mobsters, historians, magis- meanour The godfather of the movie was gant, violent, secret, the most popular… the tears of those who survived have trates, and journalists. We will depict their an image of how the mobsters liked to see the most fascinating. It’s the organisation forever left its print on the 20th century. stories with Italian and American stock themselves: full of wisdom, and above all that will serve as a role-model for crimi- However, behind this mythical designa- nal organisations all around the world. But tion, two Cosa Nostras exist: the Ameri- footage, but also with gangster movies caring for their family. But beneath this re- what really resides behind this mythical can and the Sicilian Cosa Nostra. ranging from the ‘50s till actual releases. semblance to Don Corleone, Leggio was designation? Because if the Cosa Nostra has received especially known to instill instability and Both of their histories begin in Sicily. A tu- its criminal badge of honour, it is partially terror. Fellow mobsters described him as In the entire world, one word resounds multuous yet passionate and exciting sto- due to the numerous movies inspired by such: “The slightest thing could make him as a curse, the Mafi a. From a local phe- ry. Like siblings, they have loved, helped it. The Cosa Nostra makes an appearance furious. An odd glow then ran across his nomenon rooted in local popular culture and infl uenced one another. But they have in more than 200 fi lms, in large American eyes that would turn everybody around to a world-spanning economical power, also been jealous and even hated one and Italian. him into silence. You could then feel death its power has been so important as to another. eff ectively threaten the democratic sys- hanging in the air.” tems in place. It has imprinted itself In this 2x52’ series, we are going to re- When imagining the character of Vito Cor- on the minds of everybody through its trace the incredible links between these leone for ‘The Godfather’, Mario Puzzo This documentary tells the true story violence. two factions that have given crime a le- actually had in mind a true godfather of of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra and its rela- gendary status. the Mafi a: Frank Costello. This trilogy has tionship with its little sister, the American forever changed the perception we have Cosa Nostra. The movies and fi ctions are of mobsters. They are in fact men of ho- not merely describing it but take a part in nour. To the extent that the real mobsters this Mafi a that has both inspired and been will end up idolising Marlon Brando and inspired by the pictures. Al Pacino… 4 5 THE NARRATIVE 1. Origins The United States… In a ten-minute introduction, we are going to explain the birth of this criminal organi- In the United States, the origins of this This representation by Coppola is funda- sation in the 19th century in Sicily, before criminal organisation dates back to the mental: it will long serve as a model for following its expansion in the United beginning of the 20th century. At this time, pictures retracing the New York neighbou- States, from Ellis Island to Little Italy. This nearly two million Sicilians (almost a quar- rhood Little Italy, chief haven of these will be narrated through the use of pictures ter of the island’s population), driven by Sicilian immigrants. The neighbourhood from the time, beautiful shots of today’s poverty, migrate to the USA. seems like a closed community with its Sicily and New York, as well as excerpts immigrants speaking their own dialects, from movies depicting this time period. These Italians will be met by disdain and keep their traditional clothing and cooking suff er racism for decades. style, trying to recreate what they left on Sicily… In 1999, a TV-fi lm called Vendetta will the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. depict xenophobia, opening on the images At fi rst, the Cosa Nostra was called the of Italian immigrants being called “basard In the same fashion, they will also recreate “mafi a”. At the birth of the Italian state in greaseballs”. An American explains: the networks of protection from their 1861, Sicily fi nds itself with a heavier tax “these Italians come with everything that is country of origin. Called ”Mano Nera” burden than under the former government. bad. They’re dirty, cowards, have no pride, (Black Hand in English), the organisation This goes to explain the defi ance of cen- honour, religion or loyalty. They possess rackets the Italian shops, and acquire tral government and creates the perfect none of the qualities necessary to make control on the fruits and olive-oil trade. growing fi eld for an organised crime syn- a good citizen”. The Godfather 2 also Particularly active in New York, Chicago dicate to see the light of day. Rather than depicts this diffi cult greeting subjected to and New Orleans, the Mano Nera is far referring to the birthing state, the local the immigrants on Ellis Island in 1901. It more criminal than its older sibling. Indeed, population will turn to a “parallel system is one of the rare cinematographic depic- they quickly diversify into more lucrative of authority”. In 1863, the baron Colona is tions of this place of paramount impor- businesses such as liquor trafficking, attacked by a group of fi ve men who try to tance in the history of US immigration. drugs and prostitution. In spite of this, the kill him. Colona will, in a book published old code of honour is still in eff ect. But the one year later, reveal the existence of “a Prohibition will change the mindset of the cult that robbed and ransomed the Sici- organisation. With business being settled lians”. It is indeed the fi rst witness account in blood by rival gangs, the code of honour of the existence of the Mafi a. of old leaves way for power struggles. The Mano Nera becomes the Cosa Nostra... 6 7 2. The American disembarkment in 3. The end of the Second World War Sicily At the end of the Second World War, the During the second World War, the United Furthermore, Luciano enables a logistical Sicilian Mafi a is nothing but a shade of its States becomes more and more preoc- support to the Americans, crucial to the former strength. Weakened by Mussolini’s cupied with the important number of disembarkment. Thirty-eight days after government, most of its members are in Japanese, Italian and German citizens in the invasion, the Allies manage to take prison or on the run. Their American cou- its midst. They fear that some of them may over Sicily, untill then under Axis control. sins look at them with some form of dis- support the Axis and could cause a threat Some Sicilians even choose to fi ght along- dain, nicknaming them “zips” due to their to national security. side the American forces. Therefore, in the very fast-paced speaking. eyes of many historians, Luciano had a key In 1942, the dockers especially located in role in the success of “operation Husky”. In Italy, the term “Cosa Nostra” appears the eastern parts of the country are put after the war. It was then entitled “Our under suspicion after the USS Lafayette When the Second World War ended, Lucky Cause” because the organisation was had caught fi re and capsized in the har- Luciano begs the governor of the state of closed to all but Italians. bour of New York. In the eyes of the Ame- New York for pardon, putting forward his rican government, this is most probably an contributions in the war eff ort. Thomas act of sabotage. It begins an enquiry into Dewey accepts his plea and grants him his the doings of the numerous Italian-Ame- wish of liberation, with the condition that rican dockers living in the region, but the he leaves the United States for good. On enquiry turns to failure. The government February 9th 1946, Salvatore C. Lucania then turns to an unseemly ally: the Mafi a. sets for Italy, where he will live untill the end of his days. The Navy looks for the aid of Salvatore C. Lucania, famous Italian mob boss, bet- ter known as Lucky Luciano.