Camorra

Saw this at IDFA 2018, the International Documentary Festival in Amsterdam. For 2/3 of the running time it was a compelling array of footage about how crime was prevalent in the streets of Naples. It was the most natural thing to do, given the circumstances. People found they had no other choice, due to a lack of honest jobs. Even young children from the age of 5 were involved in shady activities, starting reasonably benign with selling cigarettes, gradually escalating to street robbery, because of knowing nothing else to survive and to pull their weight in supporting their family.

The story lost me around 2/3 of the running time, at the moment we saw the aftermath of an earth quake. I was wondering what this and subsequent scenes had to do with the main story line. But it may be obvious for any Italian who has the necessary background information about it. I could imagine that it might refer to possible corruption with bad buildings as a result. I could not deduce anything from the subtitles.

The dialog with the "boss of bosses", a title Raffaele Cutolo denies, may be illustrative. Even someone in prison for life can retain control yet still deny involvement in anything what happens "outside". 'He is open about helping someone finding a job, hence he is still powerful as per the conclusion of the interviewer. But the prisoner also downplays his influence as a "boss", by telling that it came down to writing a letter to a friend, so nothing suspicious in near sight. This Raffaele Cutulo remains a sort of Robin Hood in the eyes of the locals.

All in all, I partly missed the things that (I assume) the film makers tried to bring across. It may be caused by not knowing some facts that are obvious for any Italian. Nevertheless, the movie is worth watching, due to the very interesting footage included.