La Tavola Italiana Film Series: Le Mani Sulla Citta (Hands Over the City)

In post-war Naples, a ruthless land developer manages to get elected and starts using his political power to make personal profit in real estate.
Le Mani sulla Città is a powerful political drama that masterfully depicts society's vulnerability to institutional corruption and thoroughly explores the conflict of interest of businessmen who enter the political arena.

During the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters, Tavola Italiana will introduce Duke students to the rich tradition of Italian political films. These films explore ethical and social issues, such as the privilege of being a citizen of a democratic nation, prejudice toward different forms of government, resistance in welcoming foreigners and reintegrating convicts, the constant presence of political controversies in everyday life, the struggle to eliminate corruption from the political arena, and the toll that tough political decisions have on politicians themselves.With this film series, the Italian program at Duke hopes to inspire students to discuss Italian political themes and connect them to American politics, both locally and nationally, particularly during this presidential election year.