Angela

Against the wishes of her family, Angela, born and bred in Palermo, at the age of twenty marries the rather older Saro, a drugs dealer with Mafia connections. Behind the façade of a respectable shoe shop, Saro runs his operation. Angela helps him, as a good wife should. Even though Saro loves her (and she loves him) and showers her with expensive gifts, her isolated existence starts to get Angela down. Mafia codes are strict; a woman will always only stand on the sideline. All that Angela has to offer the organisation are her qualities as a courier: the bags of cocaine are transported in Angela’s shoe boxes. Then Angela starts having an affair with the handsome Masino, Saro’s right hand; a deadly sin in these circles.Roberta Torre’s third feature, based on true events, goes further where the ordinary Mafia film stops. The realistic acting of the cast and the sombre photography of the Sicilian Daniele Ciprì (in 1999, he was Film Maker in Focus, along with Franco Maresco) emphasise the nervous and grim mood of Angela’s perception. The story is set in the 1980s, which is perfectly portrayed by the dress and sets. The film was shot on location in Palermo – the only constant protagonist in Torre’s films.