In the darkness of a night filled with tension, the roar of gunfire and the screams of the squadristi pierce the silence. Cagliari, October 31, 1926: the home of Emilio Lussu, an anti-fascist politician and prominent intellectual, is attacked by supporters of the regime in a ferocious reprisal. It is an episode that will indelibly mark his life, leading him to a courtroom where his fate seemed already written. Almost a century later, that story comes to life on the big screen with Emilio Lussu. The Trial , a film directed by Gianluca Medas, released in Italian theaters today, March 5, 2025.
The plot
That night in 1926, in reaction to the failed attack on Mussolini, a group of fascist squad members attacked Lussu's home in Cagliari. After an hour of violent clashes, the young fascist Battista Porrà attempted to force his way into Lussu's apartment, but was fatally shot by the politician himself. Arrested shortly after, Lussu found himself facing a trial with a far from certain outcome. The film retraces the crucial moments of that trial, focusing on the difficult work of Judge Marras and his collaborators, called upon to pronounce on his guilt despite strong pressure from the regime. Between tensions, moral dilemmas and an incessant fight for the truth, Emilio Lussu. The Trial brings to the public a chapter of Italian history that deserves to be remembered.
A film of memory and resistance
Produced by Zena Film and Nical Films, it is presented as a work of strong historical and social impact, as a portrait of a man who did not bow his head before the dictatorship. Enrico Lo Verso, an actor of great sensitivity and experience, plays Lussu, bringing to the screen the intensity and determination of a figure who left an indelible mark. He is supported by Giovanni Carroni, Emanuele Pisano and Marco Spiga, in the roles of the three judges called to a decision that could have changed the course of justice under the fascist regime.
Director Gianluca Medas wanted to underline the importance of this film as an act of memory and civil resistance: «For us, this film represents an opportunity to introduce a fundamental chapter of our history to the new generations» . Producer Massimo Casula echoes him: «We wanted to do justice to an emblematic figure like Lussu, with an accurate historical reconstruction and an exceptional cast» .
A new independent distribution model
The release of the film also represents a turning point for Italian auteur cinema. MyCulture Srl, which handles its distribution, inaugurates with this film a new model of independent distribution, valorizing stories of great historical and cultural importance. Alessandro Pisu, Distribution Manager of the company, highlights the intent to bring to theaters works of substance, capable of leaving a mark on the public.
The film will be previewed in Cagliari today, March 5, at the Cinema Odissea, and will then continue in Sassari (March 6, Cityplex Moderno) and Nuoro (March 7, TEN), with the director and cast attending to meet the public.
Emilio Lussu. The Trial is a tribute to a man and an era, a story that does not limit itself to reconstructing the past, but questions it, analyzes it and delivers it to the collective conscience. Because history, when told with passion and rigor, is never just memory: it is a warning, a lesson and hope.
In the video, interviews with director Gianluca Medas and actor Enrico Lo Verso.