‘Comandante’ Director Edoardo De Angelis On Finding Humanist Role Model In Italian Fascist Era Submarine Commander – Venice Opening Film Q&A
30.08.2023 - 13:45
/ deadline.com
The Venice Film Festival kicks off its 80th edition on Wednesday with Italian director Edoardo De Angelis’s World War Two Italian submarine drama Comandante.
The Golden Lion contender was propelled into the prestigious opening slot in July when Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers was pulled, as it became clear that the film’s starry cast topped by Zendaya would not be able to attend due to the actors’ strike.
Italian and Belgian talent will be leading the red carpet instead at the opening gala.
Multi-award-winning Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino (Nostalgia, Padrenostro, The Traiter) leads the cast as real-life, Italian World War Two Submarine commander Salvatore Todaro.
As commander of the then brand new Italian submarine Cappellini, he led missions in the Atlantic alongside German U-boats sinking merchant sea vessels carrying supplies for the Allies.
He earned himself a place in history, however, after he defied orders and rescued 26 Belgian merchant seamen rather than leave them to perish after sinking their ship in October 1940.
De Angelis came across Todaro’s story through a 2018 speech by Italian Admiral Giovanni Pettorino.
He cited Todaro as example of how Italy’s contemporary coast guard should act when dealing with migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean, at a time of fierce debate in Italy of how to deal with illegal immigration, which has only intensified since.
The film recounts the nerve-wracking operation as Todaro took the Belgian seamen on board his vessel and sailed on the surface for three days, before disembarking them on the neutral island of Santa Maria in the Azores.
Todaro was reprimanded for this act of humanity by notorious German Navy chief Karl Dönitz, who reportedly referred to him as