Toni Servillo: “The biggest mistake today is still believing that massacres can be a solution”

Guests of the Ischia Film Festival, Toni Servillo and Roberto Andò on stage at the Castello Aragonese with the film “L'Abbaglio” answered journalists' questions. Many questions about the film, about the role of Servillo and Andò, about cinema, about theater, including two about the most current events that see the world of entertainment grappling with the present day and with the government's choices.

We asked Servillo: “I’ll start with a question that is not directly linked to the film, but that could have its own cinematic value. In this country with Giorgia Meloni in government and Elly Schlein as her antagonist, is Italy, in your opinion, a country with “Women with balls” (cit. The Great Beauty)?”

“ Look, I have a hard time answering questions formulated in this way, where it’s not clear whether they’re jokes or provocations. I prefer to reflect on the context. The characters I play are one thing, reality is another.”

Then the colleague from Il Messaggero added: today we live in an era of strong polarizations. In your opinion, what is the great delusion of our time? What would you like to tell, if you could choose?

“ I think the biggest mistake today is still believing that massacres can be a solution . It is a huge mistake. I say it firmly: history has already taught us that massacres do not solve anything , and yet we continue to ignore it. Another very serious mistake is not recognizing the climate emergency . It is there, before our eyes, and we continue to pretend nothing is happening. We let ourselves be blinded, we avoid looking reality in the face. This is the real danger: repeating the mistakes of history , ignoring what we have already experienced”.

And again, in the last few days there have been the resignations of the president of Cinecittà and the general director of the Mic. What is your opinion on the situation of Italian cinema?

“ We are very shocked. Every day we receive different and often contradictory news. At the moment there is a blocked tax credit, a contract for entertainment workers at a standstill. All this undermines the foundations of a sector that gives so much to the image of Italy in the world. The risk is to throw everything away , even what has been laboriously conquered, taking steps backwards compared to the progress achieved on the international scene. We need a sense of responsibility, otherwise we are throwing away not only the water, but also the baby”.

Clear and precise words from Servillo that photograph an Italian and world moment in a precise way. Beyond the jokes, Servillo "we respect you unconditionally".