La morte legale (2018)

Boston, Massachusetts, 1920. Two Italians, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, were sentenced to death, the only crime they were guilty of was of being anarchists. The whole world stood up, the people crowded into the town squares, not just the lives of two men were at stake but also the beliefs which they represented. Millions of voices in many languages were raised in protest. They sought justice for Sacco and Vanzetti, but nothing could save their lives. In August 23th, 1927 Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed by electric chair, becoming martyrs and icons of freedom. Almost fifty years later, in 1971, the Italian director Giuliano Montaldo made a film about their unbelievable story. "Sacco e Vanzetti" immediately became a manifesto against intolerance, injustice and the death penalty. It was a huge international success. The soundtrack "Here's to you" by Ennio Morricone and Joan Baez became an anthem of freedom and the defense of human rights, raising awareness among young people all over the world. Because of the film, a Committee was created, and in 1977, Michael Dukakis, governor of Massachusetts, declared the rehabilitation of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti and their complete innocence to the world. Now, in 2017, 90 years after the execution, and 50 years after the rehabilitation, the Montaldo movie has been restored. DIRECTOR's NOTE The Legal Death celebrates the work of the great director Giuliano Montaldo who had the courage to realize a film about the story of Sacco and Vanzetti during the seventies, a time full of social upheavals. A time where the story of two Italian anarchists sent to death although they were complete innocents, was disappeared from collective memory. Montaldo shed light on this important story of tragedy, injustice and martyrdom, and he put it on the screen because he was trustful that it could arouse a generation who was back then starting to fight for civil rights and freedom. The opening in 1971 was a huge international success. The movie theaters were stormed of young people who saw the Sacco and Vanzetti's sacrifice as an emblem of important beliefs and ideals. The artwork was translated and released all over the world. The soundtrack composed by Ennio Morricone and Joan Baez became an anthem sang by the voice of millions of people from all the squares all over the world. The names of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti came from the past to testify their sacrifice for an higher level of thought. Silvia Giulietti and Giotto Barbieri wanted to unveil what was there, behind the scenes of a film which is now a milestone in the "so called"cinema socially active. In the documentary Montaldo tells about the genesis of the movie and also when he came up with the idea, how he found the right producer, why he chose those particular actors, his artistic approach. The creation of a masterpiece,and then the difficulties apparently intractables he had to deal with. All that allowed, even moments of real luck to get the the film in the theaters at last. The Legal Death is a wonderful journey throughout the cinema and like every journey, you know when it starts but you're not sure to come to an end. This is the magic of cinema...