Romanzo Criminale

Romanzo Criminale, an Italian-French crime drama from 2005, was directed by Michele Placido. Adapted from Giancarlo De Cataldo's 2002 novel of the same name, it draws on the real story of the Banda della Magliana, a criminal organization that dominated Rome's drug trade, gambling and other illicit activities from the early 1970s until 1992.

The story follows a group of young friends from Rome's outskirts who form a small gang, starting out with kidnappings of wealthy victims and drug dealing. Over the years their crew grows into the most powerful criminal force the Italian capital has ever known, forging connections with the secret services, far-right extremists, terrorists, the Sicilian Mafia and the Camorra. Yet as their power expands, the bonds of friendship and loyalty within the gang begin to crack.

The film brought together many of Italy's leading young screen actors, among them Kim Rossi Stuart and Jasmine Trinca. It was widely acclaimed and collected numerous prizes, including a David di Donatello award for Pierfrancesco Favino's portrayal of the gangster Libano. Its success later led to a spin-off television series, which began airing in 2008.