Poet of Civic Courage — The Films of Francesco Rosi

Rosi's films consistently and directly address the themes of political and institutional corruption and the complex relationship between the individual, the mafia, and the state. Whether evoking the multiple facets of Sicilian banditry in Salvatore Giuliano (1962), exposing right-wing killing squads in Cadaveri eccellenti (Illustrious Corpses) (1976), or courageously debating the roots of Italian terrorism in Tre fratelli (Three Brothers) (1981), his gripping political-documentary works have managed to combine factual and intellectual rigor with box office success and wide critical acclaim. This book offers a series of essays by leading Italian academics, each exploring a key Rosi film, together with an interview and comprehensive bibliographic and filmographic material. A notable feature is an article by the director himself, in which he reflects on the development and future of Italian political cinema.

CARLO TESTA teaches Italian at the University of British Columbia. His work on the European 19th and 20th centuries includesDesire and the Devil: Demonic Contracts in French and European Literature (1991) and a number of articles in English, French, and Spanish, centering on the question of the self, the Utopian issue, and marginality.