The Sicilian Girl
The film is based on the true story of Rita Atria, a 17-year-old Sicilian whose father and brother were both Mafia members (and victims), who breaks the vow of silence, omerta, that enshrouds her world.
In 1991, during a period when the Mafia was under increasing pressure from the Italian judicial system, Rita gives evidence to famed anti-Mafia judge Paolo Borsellino.
Drawing upon the young woman’s extensive diaries, Marco Amenta tells her story, beginning in Sicily in 1985 when, as a small child, she experienced her beloved father as a respected member of the community, a man to whom neighbors would turn for help when a rapacious landlord orders their eviction.
Soon after, he’s shot dead in the sun-drenched village square as his daughter looks on. Six years later, her brother is murdered. In court, Rita’s words are denounced as the ravings of a fanatical adolescent bent on revenge. But are they?
Amenta underlines the extraordinary courage of his protagonist by including a documentary glimpse of the real-life Rita during the film’s final moments.
Starring: Veronica D'Agostino, Gérard Jugnot