Movies by Franco Maresco

Franco Maresco is a virtuosic Italian filmmaker whose bold, darkly comedic documentaries offer a singular vision of contemporary Italian society. With a career spanning over two decades, Maresco first made his mark as part of the celebrated directing duo Ciprì & Maresco, known for their surreal, unsettling depictions of the underbelly of Sicilian life. Since striking out on his own, Maresco has continued to push the boundaries of nonfiction filmmaking, blending fiction and documentary in mesmerizing, genre-defying works. Films like the award-winning Mafia Is Not What It Used to Be and Ai Confini della Pietà - Trailer showcase his gift for capturing the absurdity and pathos of modern Italy, often focusing on marginalized figures and communities. Maresco's unique approach is characterized by an uncompromising, iconoclastic style, irreverent humor, and an unflinching gaze that peels back the veneer of respectability to expose the contradictions and cruelties that lurk beneath. Whether revisiting his long-running collaboration with Ciprì in Maresco / Pasolini or crafting deeply personal explorations of his hometown in Lovano Supreme, Maresco remains one of Italian cinema's most vital and boundary-pushing voices, continuing to challenge and provoke audiences with his bracingly honest, idiosyncratic body of work.