The Mafia through Cinematic Perspectives

The course will analyze the cinematic representation of the complex phenomena called Mafia. We will study how within Italian cinema the characterization of the Mafia and mafiosi began with the archetypal figures of the bosses and the “good guy” crusader from the North sent to Sicily to fight crime. Cinematic representation went on to adopt a more sociological approach, attempting to explore the political implications of the Mafia through the political cinema genre, in particular, Rosi's Salvatore Giuliano, 1961. We will study how this genre was also brought back by Scineca and Giordana in the nineties. The course will include Cipri's and Maresco's surreal and tragicomic films mocking traditional representation of the Mafia. Special attention will be dedicated to the role of women in Torre's and Comencini's films. We will discuss the roles of gender, sexuality, personal liberty and the marital and filial relationships. Special attention will be given to films that deal with the impact of organized crime on society, institutions and on youth.

The individual film analyses will be enhanced by Antonio Nicaso, world acclaimed mafia expert, who will contextualize the cinematic representations in their socio-political and historical framework.

Required Texts: Il giorno della civetta di L. Sciascia

Some of the films:

1952 Processo alla città di Luigi Zampa (parla del processo Cuocolo).

1961 Salvatore Giuliano di F. Rosi

1972 Camorra di Pasquale Squitieri

1973 Lucky Luciano di Francesco Rosi

1986 Il Camorrista di Giuseppe Tornatore

2001 Luna Rossa di Antonio Capuano

2002 L'Imbalsamatore di Matteo Garrone'

2008 Gomorra di Matteo Garrone

2008 Il divo di Paolo Sorrentino