MAX CORVO For Freedom The secret war of OSS in Italy 1943-1945
The docufilm tells the true story of a young Sicilian immigrant who after coming to America and becoming Americanized joins the Army before World War II and becomes the Chief of Operations of Secret Intelligence of the American OSS (Office of Strategic Services-precursor of the CIA), in Italy during the military campaign of Allied forces in Italy from 1943 to 1945. The young Sicilian is Biagio Max Corvo, originally from Augusta, Sicily. He immigrated to the United States in 1929 at the age of nine, together with his mother, brother and sister to join their father, Cesare, who was forced to leave the island, six years before because he was persecuted by the Fascist regime.
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Ezio CostanzoDirector
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Ezio CostanzoWriter
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CORDAN ENTERPRISES LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC) - UsaProducer
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Faeria Produzione cinematografica ItalyProducer
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:1 hour 38 minutes 8 seconds
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Completion Date:March 30, 2024
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Production Budget:130,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Italy
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Country of Filming:Italy
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Language:Italian
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Shooting Format:Red
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Ezio Costanzo, a professional journalist, historian and documentary filmmaker, is the author of several books on the Anglo-American occupation of Sicily in 1943 and creator and curator of international photographic exhibitions on the themes of the Second World War and the history of photography. The exhibitions include "Phil Stern. Sicily 1943" dedicated to the great American photographer, and "Children and War", which deals with the dramas of childhood on the various fronts of the Second World War. He also wrote and directed the documentary films "Moral Bombing. The weapon of grief", "Phil Stern, the War and the Soul" and "Sicily 1943. The Allied landings". He was part of the scientific committee for the creation of the Historical Museum of the Landing in Sicily 1943 of Catania with the assignment of researcher of the photographic and film material located in the most important archives of the world. He also worked as the author and director of the historical videos which are displayed at the museum . He has published several historical essays including: "La Guerra in Sicilia. 1943, Photographic History"; "Sicily 1943 - Brief History of the Allied Landing"; "Mafia & Allies - American Secret Services and Landing in Sicily", winner of the "Rocco Chinnici" award in 2007, and later translated and published in the United States; "Instant and History. Reportage and photographic documentation. From the origins to the Magnum". He is the Italian delegate to the "Phil Stern Trust" in Los Angeles for the care and preservation of Phil Stern's World War II photo archive and for promoting events concerning the great American photographer. He also collaborates with Rai Storia and has participated in the making of "Storia proibita delle guerre Italiane (History Channel), "Correva l'anno" (Rai Tre), "The beginning of the end. The battle of Sicily" (Rai Storia Dixit), "Sicily ’43" by Folco Quilici (Istituto Luce). Mr. Costanzo also currently teaches "History of reportage and photographic documentation" and "Fotoreportage" at the Catania Academy of Fine Arts. He also writes for the cultural page of La Repubblica (Palermo edition) and collaborates with many historical magazines.
Corvo's is a truly incredible story” - says the director and screenwriter of the film Ezio Costanzo – “if you stop and think that he joined the OSS when he was only 22 years old, after having lived in America for just thirteen years. Max Corvo had enrolled in the Army as a volunteer in October, 1941 prior to the entry into the war of the United States - says Ezio Costanzo - and in the early months of 1942 he had already written an intelligence plan for the occupation of Sicily. His ideas outlined in a ten-page manuscript highlighting the political and strategic-military approach of the intelligence operations necessary to implement for the success of the campaign were greatly appreciated by the leadership in OSS.
For a young soldier he had clear ideas. The son of a Sicilian anti-Fascist he understood the concept of patriotism. He lived his first nine years of life in Sicily, in Melilli, and his father, Cesare, instilled in him his love for democracy and liberty. In Sicily, as a child, Corvo grew up during the darkest era of Fascism, where every ideal of democracy was struck down. Max's ideals came from his father, Cesare Corvo. A man with a complex and rich life, who refused to lower his head in front of Fascist abuses. He had fought for his country during the First World War and had infused Max with the profound meaning of justice and non -submission. He taught him to love books and in particular history - that of his island but also of the world and the great protagonists of the past. And Max grew to love and treasure it. His father represented for him the ideal of life, the example to follow. The documentary also tries to shed light on the collaboration between the American intelligence services and the National Liberation Committee implemented through the economic and military support that the United States had given, through the OSS, to the Italian Partisan groups. Support and collaboration that would later cause controversial reactions in the United States and eventually led to the recall of Corvo and his men, falsely accused of support of communism. The film also addresses questions about the death of Mussolini whose capture and arrest had been a clear priority for Max Corvo but which he was not able to complete. Max Corvo Archive documents we consulted have allowed us to answer many questions regarding the invasion of Sicily in the summer of 1943 including false accusations that the OSS actively collaborated with Mafia leaders. The film is also enriched by the unpublished interview with the son of Max Corvo, Bill Corvo, who tells the life of his father.