Marco Bellocchio’s movie about Tommaso Buscetta, the so-called “boss of the two worlds”, first mafia informant in Sicily 1980’s, has been selected by the commission set up by ANICA (Associazione Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche Audiovisive, the Italian national association of movie and audiovisual industries) to represent Italy in the Best Feature Film category at the 2020 Academy Awards.
Bellocchio commented saying: “I am happy for this candidacy and I have to thank the committee that decided it.” Adding “Even as an old pacifist and non-violent anarchist, I feel that it is an honor and a responsibility to represent Italy in this challenge.”
Bellocchio’s movie, which will be released in American theaters on November 27th, tells 20 years of the story of Buscetta. From the 1980s through the Brazilian exile, the struggle with the Corleonesi who killed his sons who remained in Palermo, the arrest in Brazil, the choice to become an informant, the maxi-trial, his the testimony against Italian politician Giulio Andreotti, and finally his death in Miami on April 2000.
‘The Traitor‘, starring Pierfrancesco Favino as Tommaso Buscetta, grossed over 4.7 million euros only in Italy, triumphed at the Nastri d’Argento – the oldest movie award in Europe awarded by the Italian Nationa Syndicate of Film Journalists – with seven awards, and won two Italian Golden Globes. Now the cast will have to wait January 13th to see if the Academy included their movie in the shortlist of nominees that will be flying to the US to attend the Oscar ceremony on February 9th.