15/09/2003 - After Martinelli and Bellocchio, now there’s a 3rd film project about the statesman who was killed by the Red Brigades: "I’m thinking of a trilogy on Italy’s terrorism years"

Video: Aurelio Grimaldi

The long awaited film by the Marco Bellocchio Good Morning, Night [+see also:
trailer
interview: Marco Bellocchio, director …
film profile] still hadn’t even been shown at the Venice Film Festival when shooting on another film about the Moro affair had already started in Rome. The new project by Aurelio Grimaldi is the third film in the space of a year to cover the subject of terrorism, and more specifically the kidnap and murder of the head of the Christian Democrat party. Renzo Martinelli’s Piazza of the Five Moons [+see also:
trailer
film profile] focused on the mysteries surrounding the affair with rather disappointing results, while Bellocchio told the story of the Red Brigades members with a poetic precision and intimate tone, and now Grimaldi is making an ambitious film with more explicit political connotations, which will told in three separate parts. So, it’s a trilogy, with each of the three episodes lasting around 80 minutes: the first is the story of the kidnapping and the imprisonment of Aldo Moro; the second part will look at the same 55 days he was held prisoner, though this time seen from the events happening outside the cove where the BR members held the president of the Christian Democrats hostage; and finally the judicial action against the terrorists and their lives in prison, a year-and-a-half after the tragic end to Moro’s kidnapping.

"I’ve been seriously thinking of doing something on the Moro case – explained Grimaldi – and the history of the Red Brigades since 1986. At the time I hadn’t moved into directing and I didn’t know whether to work on the story as a writer, or to try to make a film about it. After studying the issue for many years and trying, in vain, to raise funding for the project, finally the Pasquino group found the financing needed to start shooting on the film. In the meantime, something that should have been the story of Moro’s kidnapping has expanded because it seemed increasingly important to talk about Italy during those 55 days that would change the face of the whole country. And then it also became vital to talk about how the State behaved, either for good or bad, in regards to the Red Brigade members when they were arrested and imprisoned. Stories of violence and a denial of rights that have to be shown without any fear, especially after what happened at the G8 meeting in Genoa in July 2001".

The set reconstructing the cove where Moro was held prisoner by the Red Brigade members is in London. Something that may come across as rather strange, but then again, when viewed in relation to the production, it makes sense. Grimaldi’s trilogy is being made thanks to a British- Italian co-production deal. The executive producer is Mario Mazzarotto and he explains that this collaboration goes well beyond this film, to include other projects (filming is due to start on Albergo Empedocle in November, the first costume film by the director and art director Manuel Giliberti, based on a novel by Foster and set between Agrigento and London). "I’ve been watching Aurelio’s work for many years and when the Pasquino Group put a proposal to me to get involved with one of his films about Aldo Moro, I was enthusiastic and agreed to participate in the project. In addition, this proposal also included a collaboration on more films, with a British production. This means working with actors of the calibre of Roshan Seth, who will be playing Aldo Moro in this film. And from the economic point of view it provides the opportunity to make the most of the current British laws, for example like financial sweeteners made available for film companies. Then, added to all that, a co-production enables us to plan an international release for the film, distributed in two versions, Italian and English".

Apart from the great Roshan Seth, the cast will also include Pino Micol, Guia Jelo, Gaetano Amato, Sebastiano Lo Monaco, Arturo Paglia, Craig Fairbrass and Steffan Boye, who is said to be overcome by the opportunity to act alongside such a renowned figure as Seth.