Controversy Surrounds Edoardo De Angelis' Film 'Comandante'

The film 'Comandante' by Edoardo De Angelis, which opened the Venice Film Festival, continues to spark debate over its portrayal of fascist commander Salvatore Todaro. The film depicts Todaro, a fascist submarine commander, who on October 16, 1940, attacked the Belgian steamer Kabalo but then rescued 26 survivors against his crew's advice. Critics, including art historian Tomaso Montanari, argue that the film, released during Italy's first government with fascist roots, sends messages that fascism had positive aspects and that Italians are good people. De Angelis and screenwriter Sandro Veronesi lament the politicization of their work, noting that both the right and left have weaponized it. A group of individuals even attended a screening in Spilimbergo wearing Nazi uniforms. The controversy highlights a binary thinking that prevents nuanced storytelling, with Montanari calling for films about anti-fascist figures like Matteotti, the Rosselli brothers, Emilio Lussu, or stories of desertion instead. De Angelis, known for films like 'Indivisibili' and 'Il vizio della speranza', defends the complexity of the narrative, arguing that depicting a fascist committing a humane act does not equate to endorsing fascism.