Sicilian Mafia interested in the filmmaking industry

Since world economy recession and need to diversify business, also the Italian Mafia is searching for different markets.

The film industry has often been interested in the Mafia affairs. The mafia has always been amongst the main characters of famous movies - from the Godfather to the Soprano series. Now the Mafia seems to be interested in the film industry.

The recent police raids in Sicily where 23 people were arrested - 3 of whom seen "mingling" with stars such as Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts on the film set of Ocean's 12 - marks a turnover on the history of the Sicilian Mafia.

First because the most senior of the gangsters arrested were 3 women - godmothers. Antonella Maria di Graziano (45), Carmela Falsone (49) and Rosa Fiordilino (51), wives of Sicilian bosses - now in prison. According to the police the godmothers have been acting as head of the Castellamare del Golfo clans.

Since the incarceration of a large number of Mafia bosses, the once silent Mafia wives have taken increasingly active roles in the gangs' "work".

Second because this new Mafia run also by godmothers seem now interested in the film-making industry - since three of the Mafiosi of their clan have been seen and followed for days by the Italian police while mingling amongst the set of this maybe to extract their customary "pizzo" or protection money from the people working on the film, whether actors or technicians.

In certain areas of Sicily, there is no way to run a business without paying a fee to the local Mafia. Deciding to shoot an expensive film in the Sicilian Mafia territory without asking the permission and paying the relative Bosses' concessions or "pizzo", may have seemed suspicious to the Italian Police who have monitored the Mafiosi around the set via global positioning satellite and by plainclothes officers who were ready to swoop if there was any meddling or particularly suspicious activity.

For expert extortionists such as the Italian Mafiosi, cinema is an easy target. It's enough to start a little fire on the set, to sabotage very costly machinery that is difficult to replace, or induce local staff to fake illness.

The Mafia are said to have a lock, for example, on the hiring of local extras. And a little calculated sabotage on a film production with narrow margins and a tight budget can be devastating.

During the filming a few years ago of Italian movie Malena, starring Monica Bellucci, Mafiosi broke into the production company's premises and wiped computer hard disks.

This time it appears that the (Mafiosi) cousins Rugeri were moving around among actors and technicians with the unmistakable attitude of those who wish it to be understood, 'We're in charge here'.

Organised crime and movie-making make a close fit. The mix of fame, glamorous lifestyles and financial vulnerability make the stars and production firms fatally attractive to the mob.

Felix Petrelli c2004