CITIZEN BERLUSCONI

“Citizen Kane” is, you know, a mouse compared to an elephant, I mean, “Citizen Kane” was a businessman and ran a very important newspaper. Berlusconi owns half of Italian televisions, owns, controls the other half of the television, controls all the advertisement, which in the business is no small thing, as you may know. He conditions most of the press. Citizen Kane is, as we say in Italian “una pulce!” nothing. (Giovanni Sartori)

Italy’s Prime Minister has a net income worth 13 billion Euro, owns 3 TV channel, the copyright on a quarter of all Italian books, and two national newspapers (one owned by his brother, the other by his wife.) He controls the main distribution networks for most of Italy’s magazines and movies, and roughly 60% of all television advertising sales. In Italy, where most people get their information from television, control of the airwaves is a political goldmine. No small wonder that Berlusconi holds Italy’s top political job.

Our film follows those who are trying to stop Berlusconi – within Parliament and the media, trying to make the truth of what is happening in Italy. To day a losing battle, but one that shows first hand what happens when a media mogul takes the reigns of power.

Italy / USA / 2003 / 45-56 min.
Author and director: Andrea Cairola and Susan Gray
Production: Stefilm / Thirteen/WNET New York Production
Coproduction: YLE Teema with the support from Public Broadcasting Service and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting