Shooting the Mafia

Gain knowledge of the violent modern history of Italy, through the lens of one exceptional woman. Letizia Battaglia counts amongst the highest ranked photo journalists of Italy, and the unconventional photographer has dedicated decades of her life to documenting the terror regime of the Mafia in Sicily. This intimate portrait captures a life and a work which is tightly intertwined with the history of Italy itself, and shows how corruption and organised crime can destroy a society from within. Battaglia relays to us in great detail how the trauma inflicted on Italian society by the Mafia will never fully heal. This is a gripping documentary which is also a mournful testament to the dream of a Mafia free Italy, accompanied by Battaglia’s heart-breaking photography.

Director Kim Longinotto is known for selecting extraordinary women as subjects for her documentaries, and this is certainly no exception. Longinotto’s customary sharp gaze is fixed upon Battaglia, which produces a story of love, patriarchy, freedom – but most of all, about Italy.