"It was a historical period that I didn't know very well. Mussolini was deposed by a vote. In his delirium of omnipotence he thought he could find and have traitors killed. There are some episodes that are not explained in school books. At school little is studied about this transition from Mussolini's regime to the Badoglio government and Rai, which is a public service, has the duty to do so" Words of the actor Alessio Boni, in the guise of Dino Grandi, president of the Order of the Chamber of Fasci who decided to oppose Mussolini's choices in a legitimate way, convening the Grand Council to take the country out of his hands.
Another page of history is the protagonist of the Rai fiction.
On 29, 30 and 31 January on Rai1 La Lunga Notte - La Caduta del Duce will be broadcast, a miniseries that will tell the events that preceded the night between 24 and 25 July 1943, which marked the end of the fascist regime.
Directed by Giacomo Campiotti, the drama was presented at the Rai headquarters in Viale Mazzini by Maria Pia Ammirati, director of Rai Fiction and Luca Barbareschi, producer of Eliseo Entertainment together with the director and the entire cast also composed of Duccio Camerini (Benito Mussolini), Martina Stella (Claretta Petacci), Aurora Ruffino (Maria Josè, Umberto's wife), Ana Caterina Morariu (Antonietta Grandi).
For Boni, the story that involves Grandi, politician and diplomat, as well as historically president of the Chamber of Fasci and Corporations of the Kingdom of Italy, and above all author of the agenda of that Council - is that of "Mussolini, a dictator who he was dismissed thanks to a vote. Mussolini, in the delirium of omnipotence, thought he could see who the traitors were so that they could be shot, but no; humanizing the families described is fundamental to understanding. Alongside his events, those of the royal family, of Edda and Galeazzo Ciano, of Claretta Petacci, of the various hierarchs and of many others torn by fear and ambition for power. The character of Grandi took me into a world very distant from me. We were afraid of a hagiography, it was easy slide into rhetoric, make him a hero, slide into do-goodism, which was completely avoided, we know that he was a character who had his ambivalences, that he was a fascist, but he had brought two hand grenades with him if things had gone wrong bad.
This film arrives with a suspense that then leads to a final breath of liberation." For Ammirati, "History is always complicated, it is made up of men and women, but also of intrigue, subterfuge, borders.
History is a place to return to reflect, without nostalgic intent". Completing the gathering of the intimate circle, the Duce's lover, Claretta Petacci, a character entrusted to Martina Stella who says:
"It's a different role from those I've played up to now (here we'll see her with brunette hair styled according to the fashion of the time), I consider it a real challenge. Petacci is a woman already present in the imagination, but also enigmatic and mysterious, which we describe in an obscure way. The challenge for me was to work on the shadows, on the conflicts of this woman, with an elusive psychological character in some moments. A relationship, that of her with Mussolini, all-encompassing, without boundaries, therefore also dangerous ".
Another relevant female figure, together with the wider "monarchical family", is Maria Josè of Belgium, played by Aurora Ruffino, according to whom "the important thing was discovering the incredible character I played. Her nickname was 'the only man of the house of Savoy', because she had the strength to do something for the Italians. She was trying to wake up her husband a little, to push him towards independent thought: she was against fascism from the beginning, she felt the responsibility of her role, a destiny that had come her way since she was a child, and she wanted to become queen to look after the Italian people, another child for her".
Flavio Parenti is Umberto of Savoy and Luigi Diberti Vittorio Emanuele III.
The series - with the historical consultancy of Professor Chessa - is a Rai Fiction - Èliseo Entertainment co-production, produced by Luca Barbareschi.
"The project - reveals Barbareschi - was born from a theatrical draft: the idea was to see what happened inside a room, with these people working around the Duce. The story became necessary for what happened in our country , where until there is a pacifying story about what happened it is difficult to grow if you don't come to terms with the past."
Flavio Parenti is Umberto of Savoy and Luigi Diberti Vittorio Emanuele III.
The series - with the historical consultancy of Professor Chessa - is a Rai Fiction - Èliseo Entertainment co-production, produced by Luca Barbareschi.
"The project - reveals Barbareschi - was born from a theatrical draft: the idea was to see what happened inside a room, with these people working around the Duce. The story became necessary for what happened in our country , where until there is a pacifying story about what happened it is difficult to grow if you don't come to terms with the past."
Flavio Parenti is Umberto of Savoy and Luigi Diberti Vittorio Emanuele III.
The series - with the historical consultancy of Professor Chessa - is a Rai Fiction - Èliseo Entertainment co-production, produced by Luca Barbareschi.
"The project - reveals Barbareschi - was born from a theatrical draft: the idea was to see what happened inside a room, with these people working around the Duce. The story became necessary for what happened in our country , where until there is a pacifying story about what happened it is difficult to grow if you don't come to terms with the past."
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