New Delhi, Filmmaker Joe Wright says he was inspired to explore the roots of fascism through his eight-episode series “Mussolini: Son of the Century” because he is concerned about the way right-wing ideology is being embraced by contemporary politicians and cultural figures across the world.
British filmmakers are no stranger to historical stories or biographical dramas, having adapted books such as “Atonement,” “Pride and Prejudice” and “Anna Karenina,” as well as “Darkest Hour,” which details Winston Churchill’s early years as British prime minister.
“Mussolini”, which currently streams on MUBI India, is adapted from Antonio Scurati’s famous novel “M: Son of the Century by Antonio Scurati”.
“Mussolini really wrote the rule book on contemporary populism. The idea that you take the very legitimate concerns of a disenfranchised population and exploit them for your own interests is something he did. And we’re seeing it happening now too,” Wright told PTI in a telephonic interview from London.
He added, “The sophistication with which these fascist ideas and practices have been adopted by contemporary politicians and cultural figures. And fascism looks very different now, but at its core it’s still the same thing.”
Wright said it was important for audiences to understand how Mussolini was able to captivate an entire country and much of the world with these ideas.
“The fact that he started out as a newspaper man and understood the power of the headline’s catchphrase…that idea has now evolved into clickbait and all kinds of algorithms looking for the most outrageous comments to attract public attention and increase user engagement. It’s all the same idea, just with a different technique,” he said.
The filmmaker said that while growing up in the 1980s, fascism was used as a “derogatory term for anyone with authority” who didn’t like people.
“So the police were fascist, and the teachers were fascist. But I don’t think we really understood what the term meant. Now it felt like it was our responsibility to try to understand where the term came from, and really take hold of it,” he said of the political ideology that emerged in Europe in the early 20th century, first in Italy under Mussolini and later in Germany through Adolf Hitler.
Extreme right-wing ideology was characterized by authoritarian control, ultra-nationalism, repression of dissent, and glorification of the state or leader, which became a symbol of oppression and totalitarian rule.
The series features an entertaining portrayal of the Italian dictator by actor Luca Marinelli.
Mussolini began his career as an Italian journalist before entering politics. He first came to power as Prime Minister in 1922 and later established himself as a dictator, ruling until his overthrow in 1943. As the founder of fascism, Mussolini played a central role in shaping and spreading the ideology throughout Europe.
What were some things that surprised you during your research and creation of the series?
Wright said he was constantly shocked by the depth of Mussolini’s “moral corruption”.
“It was really understanding the dual nature and kind of clarifying the lines of fascism that was most fascinating. We obviously did a lot of research, but there hasn’t really been any film or television work done about them, which is shocking.
He added, “I think one of the things that surprised me most was that in some parts of contemporary Italy, he is still revered and that was really shocking to me. This is a time when we’re really seeing the rise of the far right around the world. And Mussolini’s father was a staunch socialist.”
The series also stars Lorenzo Zurzolo, Barbara Cicchiarelli, Benedetta Cimatti and Francesco Russo.
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