Jornal da Mostra
Bye Bye Berlusconi!
Nº 403 > 29ª Mostra > 05/03/2006
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Edição:
Renata de Almeida e Leon Cakoff
Edição:
Renata de Almeida e Leon Cakoff
Berlusconi promises charity at the exponse of others and is exposed to kidnapping in anarchical german comedy
News traveled across the borders of Italy. Prime Minister Sílvio Berlusconi, a magnate from the Italian middle class, on a campaign for re-election, is engaged in arousing sympathy amongst the conservative elderly in his country with the promise of an astounding series of privileges - with one even more astonishing detail, in the manner akin to brazen-faced politicians: charity at the expense of others, both from contributors and from the private sector.Berlusconi says that, if he is re-elected, Italians over the age of 70 will be granted unlimited free travel by train, go as often as they like to cinemas, museums, and stadiums, and be given aid for pets. News published by the French daily `Libération` suspects that Berlusconi is engaged in this absurd appeal because he is losing the support of the retired bracket of the public in Italy for whom he has done nothing up to the present time.
Another piece of news about the politician, reminiscent of Benito Mussolini, has crossed the frontiers: a remarkable likeness between actor Maurizio Antonini and politician Berlusconi. Antonini is in the German film "Bye Bye Berlusconi", by Jan Henrik Stahlberg, that may never get to be shown in Italy. Speculation as to the future of the film begins in the film itself where the actors who are part of the political kidnapping of Berlusconi must stop filming because the lawyers are concerned with the legal consequences of the joke. They suggest that the political character be named Topolino (in Italy) and Micky Laus in the English version.
"When we make a film against one of the richest men in Europe, we run the risk of ending up with him in court and not in the movie theaters", says a production note in the catalog for the 56th Berlin Film Festival, where "Bye Bye Berlusconi!" was shown in the Panorama section. "This film is intended to redeem Italy from the present state of lethargy and drive out the Prime Minister in the next elections, in April 2006", reads another note on production. The Italian press went en masse to the first session of the film in Berlin. An Italian journalist said off-record that the film is yet another good challenge to prove there is censorship in Italy, and it will not be shown there, even in festivals, for they also depend on Berlusconi`s news network for publicity.
Political issues apart, "Bye Bye Berlusconi!" is an excellent anarchical comedy in the best tradition of slapstick. Even transferring Italy to Duckland, Stahlberg`s film includes real accusations of connivance with the Mafia, the evasion of revenue, tax fraud, and corruption. Most hilarious of all is Maurizio Antonini`s absurd resemblance to Berlusconi himself. Filmed in Genoa, in Italy, the German film is a success with Antonini, reminiscent of better days of comedy with Totó, whose presence on scene was also sufficient to counteract the sparse resources of his productions.
Translation into English: Clare Elizabeth Charity ( clarecharity@uol.com.br )
