The Mafia Kills Only in Summer
Directed by Pif
- romance
- comedy
- crime
- drama
The story
While Arturo tries to gain the love of Flora, he witnesses the history of Sicily from 1969 to 1992, miraculously dodging the crimes of the Mafia and supporting as a journalist the heroic struggle of the judges and policemen who fought this infamous organization.
What it’s like
Sunlit Sicilian streets, whitewashed walls and bright summer glare, with a warm, easygoing camera that favors medium shots and lingering pans over rooms full of people. The palette leans on ochre, sea blue and faded Vespa-red, and the sound is a playful orchestral score threaded with pop-era Italian songs that keep the mood buoyant even when the story turns grim. Its vibe is bittersweet and wry: a light romantic comedy that gradually darkens into a sober, affectionate chronicle of a nation's violent decades. The pacing is brisk and episodic, moving through years in shifting, well-timed beats, and the emotional register swings between tender teasing and quiet heartbreak. Its central figure is a hopeless romantic who slowly grows into a man willing to face what is happening around him. Violence is present but restrained: killings and bombings occur offscreen or are handled with brief, sudden shock, never lingered on, and there is no gore and little sexual content. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon or a reflective evening, and it is for viewers who enjoy comedy with real historical weight and a touch of melancholy.
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