by Kim Longinotto
English“Imagine how they felt being photographed – by a woman.” Armed with her camera, Letizia Battaglia was the first female Italian photojournalist to target and shoot the Sicilian mafia with her camera. Her mighty images lifted the mantle of silence that lay undisturbed over the brutal crimes of the Cosa Nostra for a long time. Later, this fearless witness of everyday southern Italian life continued to fight for her convictions by entering into politics. For the documentary SHOOTING THE MAFIA, Letizia, who at the age of 83 remains as charismatic as ever, looks back on an eventful life. British director Kim Longinotto complements the memories of the self-determined superwoman with her iconic black and white photographs and fascinating archive material.
