Notte italiana

Cast and credits

Synopsis

On the advise of his childhood friend Checco, the lawyer Otello Morsiani accepts the work offered by the Paduan councillor Melandri to provide an estimate for land in the Po Delta area, destined for a nature park. Where methane was once extracted, now the soil risks subsiding because of hydro-geological impoverishment. Moreover Morsiani soon finds out that it hides a mystery – a murder committed 20 years earlier. Driven by his stubborn honesty and by the love for a girl on the run from her violent terrorist past, the lawyer lays his life on the line, even sacrificing friendships, to discover the truth.

The diretor

Born in Padua in 1956, Mazzacurati graduated from the University of Bologna. In 1979 he directed Vagabondi in 16mm format. He then moved to Rome where he worked on several screenplays and TV scripts. His debut film as a director, Notte Italiana (Italian Night), presented at the Venice International Film Critics’ Week, won the Silver Ribbon and the Golden Ciak in 1987. Two years later, Il prete bello (The Handsome Priest), adapted from the novel by Goffredo Parise, won the top prize at the Annecy Film Festival. In 1992 Un’altra vita (Another Life) was presented at the Venice Film Festival, where his next film Il toro won the Silver Lion and the Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Actor (Roberto Citran). In 1996, in Venice again, in competition was Vesna va veloce (Vesna Goes Fast); in 1999 he directed L’estate di Davide (David’s Summer) and in 1999 worked with Marco Paolini on Ritratti, dialogues with leading figures of the culture in Veneto. La lingua del santo (Holy Tongue) was presented at the Venice Film Festival in 2000. After A cavallo della tigre (Riding the Tiger) and L’amore ritrovato (An Italian Romance), Mazzacurati directed La giusta distanza (The Right Distance) winning the Silver Ribbon for Best Original Story.