The Real Godfather: Il Divo
by Maria PopovaScorsese meets Coppola, or what the Vatican has to do with assassination conspiracies.
Known as Divo Giulio — from the Latin Divus Iulius, “divine Julius” — Giulio Andreotti has reigned as the most enigmatic, revered and feared politician in Italy for over 50 years, serving seven terms as Prime Minister. Then, at the pinnacle of his political career, Andreotti faced a scandalous investigation, accusing him of orchestrating a massive Neo-Fascist mafia conspiracy, with the Vatican involved, and ordering the assassinations of judges, journalists and members of the Christian Democratic party — his own.
In 2008, director Paolo Sorrentino swept the international film circuit with Il Divo, an ambitious and powerful biopic about Andreotti’s epic career, which won the coveted Prix du Jury at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, among numerous other prestigious film awards. And today marks Il Divo‘s much-anticipated DVD release.
Award-winning writer/director Paolo Sorrentino packs this incredible true story of corruption and murder with explosive action, stunning cinematography and startling surprises to capture perhaps the most fearless and breathtaking depiction of a public figure in modern cinema history.
Beautifully shot, with extraordinary acting and a superb soundtrack, Il Divo is part Scorsese, part Coppola, part ambitious new breed of contemporary film.
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