Director Nanni Moretti Took On Berlusconi Before It Was Fashionable

Silvio Orlando in Il Caimano

Italy’s prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has his problems these days; he’s under indictment on sex charges and in more hot water than he’s ever been. Whether or not he can wiggle his way out of this one is yet to be seen, but one thing in his favor – he won’t be tried in the media because he owns it. Italy’s main three tv channels, it’s largest publishing house, film studio, magazines, and a daily newpaper are all controlled by him, and censorship in Italy is a sad reality.

Maybe if Berlusconi goes to jail we’ll get to see moviemakers take him on but up until now painting him in an unfavorable light has been problematic. Don’t blame Nanni Moretti – you can’t say he hasn’t tried.

If you’re in the mood for a little Berlusconi skewering, check out Moretti’s 2006 “Il Caimano” (the caiman). Written and directed by Moretti and starring Silvio Orlando, Margherita Buy (Days and Clouds), and Jasmine Trinca (Il Meglio Gioventù), this movie tells a “story about Italian politics within a story” to get around outright accusing Berlusconi of corruption and other wrongdoings. Orlando plays a washed up producer of B movies that is desperate for a project. His “Christopher Columbus” movie falls through but another screenplay about the prime minister that’s written by a young woman played by Jasmine Trinca falls into his lap and he decides to try to get it made.

Silvio Berlusconi

In America, anything that makes famous politcal (or otherwise) figures look bad is a hot property, but in Italy if it’s about Berlusconi it is not. In “Il Caimano”, despite the fact that no one seems to care about the movie except the powerful people that are trying to put a stop to it, Orlando’s character becomes obsessed with seeing it to the end as his life crumbles around him.

It’s a grim movie, earnest and unapologetically left leaning. In it, Moretti declares war on Berlusconi and I’m sure he made a few enemies.

WIth Berlusconi’s trials looming, Il Caimano will likely be revisited by many – but you won’t see anyone talking about it on Italian television. Berlusconi has without a doubt seen to that. And no matter your politcal views, I think you have to admit that Moretti was courageous in making this movie.