Michele Placido’s four-part Rai drama about the magistrate killed by the Stidda was shown at the Festa del Cinema days after he was named patron of Italy’s judgesA Premiere With the Head of StatePresident Sergio Mattarella was at the Auditorium Parco della Musica on Wednesday evening for the premiere of Livatino - Il giudice e i suoi assassini (Livatino: The Judge and His Killers), a miniseries directed by Michele Placido. The screening took place in the Sala Petrassi as part of the 21st Festa del Cinema di Roma, in the Freestyle | Serie section. Representatives of the institutions and of the cultural and audiovisual worlds were also present. The evening was dedicated to Rosario Livatino, the magistrate killed by the Stidda, a Sicilian mafia organization, on September 21, 1990, while he was on his way to work. He was 37. According to the producers, his rigor in carrying out his duties, his independence of judgment and his respect for the dignity of every person still make him a reference point for those who work in the service of justice. Why the Timing Matters The premiere came just two weeks after Livatino was named patron of Italy’s magistrates. A decree dated October 7, 2026, from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, declared Blessed Rosario Livatino patron of Italian judges and prosecutors, accepting a request backed by the Italian bishops. The bishops’ conference had given its unanimous support at its general assembly in May. Livatino was born in Canicattì, in the province of Agrigento, on October 3, 1952. A decree recognizing his martyrdom was issued in December 2020, and he was beatified in Agrigento cathedral on May 9, 2021. Pope Leo XIV has described him as the first magistrate in history to be recognized as a martyr. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the bishops’ conference, praised him as an authentic man of law and faithful servant of the state who combined truth with charity. What the Series Is About The miniseries covers the last two years of Livatino’s life. He is played by Giuseppe De Domenico, and his story is interwoven with that of the young Stidda members who would become his killers, among them a character called Tano, played by Leonardo Maltese. The story shows the complexity of the province of Agrigento in those years and the determination of a man who was capable of striking at the economic interests of mafia power while keeping a deep humanity toward the people he had to judge. Placido says he draws on the tradition of the civic cinema of Francesco Rosi. According to the release, he found the key to the story in the link between Livatino’s spiritual life and his professional responsibility: his courage, his affections, his reserve and his sense of duty. Cast and Credits Alongside De Domenico and Maltese, the cast includes Nino Frassica, Michela De Rossi, Ninni Bruschetta, Brenno Placido and Francesco Benigno. David Coco plays Paolo Borsellino and Beniamino Marcone plays Giovanni Falcone, with Gaetano Aronica, and Michele Placido himself makes a special appearance. The script is by Angelo Pasquini, Fidel Signorile and Placido. The series is a co-production of Rai Fiction, Goldenart Production and Rai Com, produced by Federica Luna Vincenti, with support from the Ministry of Culture’s film and audiovisual directorate and the Sicilian Region through the Sicilia Film Commission. What the Producers Said Maria Pia Ammirati, director of Rai Fiction, said the President’s presence added value to a work that fully reflects the public broadcaster’s mission, which she described as preserving memory, promoting a culture of legality and offering stories that strengthen the country’s civic awareness. Vincenti said the project was an attempt to convey, through the language of television series, the human dimension of Livatino’s witness, searching in the man, his faith and his affections for the roots of a moral rigor that joined the exercise of justice with respect for every person’s dignity. Where to Watch The miniseries has four episodes, shown over two evenings. It will air for the first time on Monday, November 9, and Tuesday, November 10, on Rai 1 and on the RaiPlay streaming platform, in Italian. Check Rai’s schedule for start times, which were not given in the announcement.  

Michele Placido’s four-part Rai drama about the magistrate killed by the Stidda was shown at the Festa del Cinema days after he was named patron of Italy’s judgesPresident Sergio Mattarella was at the Auditorium Parco della Musica on Wednesday evening for the premiere of Livatino - Il giudice e i suoi assassini (Livatino: The Judge and His Killers), a miniseries directed by Michele Placido. The screening took place in the Sala Petrassi as part of the 21st Festa del Cinema di Roma, in the Freestyle | Serie section. Representatives of the institutions and of the cultural and audiovisual worlds were also present. The evening was dedicated to Rosario Livatino, the magistrate killed by the Stidda, a Sicilian mafia organization, on September 21, 1990, while he was on his way to work. He was 37. According to the producers, his rigor in carrying out his duties, his independence of judgment and his respect for the dignity of every person still make him a reference point for those who work in the service of justice. The premiere came just two weeks after Livatino was named patron of Italy’s magistrates. A decree dated October 7, 2026, from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, declared Blessed Rosario Livatino patron of Italian judges and prosecutors, accepting a request backed by the Italian bishops. The bishops’ conference had given its unanimous support at its general assembly in May. Livatino was born in Canicattì, in the province of Agrigento, on October 3, 1952. A decree recognizing his martyrdom was issued in December 2020, and he was beatified in Agrigento cathedral on May 9, 2021. Pope Leo XIV has described him as the first magistrate in history to be recognized as a martyr. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the bishops’ conference, praised him as an authentic man of law and faithful servant of the state who combined truth with charity. The miniseries covers the last two years of Livatino’s life. He is played by Giuseppe De Domenico, and his story is interwoven with that of the young Stidda members who would become his killers, among them a character called Tano, played by Leonardo Maltese. The story shows the complexity of the province of Agrigento in those years and the determination of a man who was capable of striking at the economic interests of mafia power while keeping a deep humanity toward the people he had to judge. Placido says he draws on the tradition of the civic cinema of Francesco Rosi. According to the release, he found the key to the story in the link between Livatino’s spiritual life and his professional responsibility: his courage, his affections, his reserve and his sense of duty. Alongside De Domenico and Maltese, the cast includes Nino Frassica, Michela De Rossi, Ninni Bruschetta, Brenno Placido and Francesco Benigno. David Coco plays Paolo Borsellino and Beniamino Marcone plays Giovanni Falcone, with Gaetano Aronica, and Michele Placido himself makes a special appearance. The script is by Angelo Pasquini, Fidel Signorile and Placido. The series is a co-production of Rai Fiction, Goldenart Production and Rai Com, produced by Federica Luna Vincenti, with support from the Ministry of Culture’s film and audiovisual directorate and the Sicilian Region through the Sicilia Film Commission. Maria Pia Ammirati, director of Rai Fiction, said the President’s presence added value to a work that fully reflects the public broadcaster’s mission, which she described as preserving memory, promoting a culture of legality and offering stories that strengthen the country’s civic awareness. Vincenti said the project was an attempt to convey, through the language of television series, the human dimension of Livatino’s witness, searching in the man, his faith and his affections for the roots of a moral rigor that joined the exercise of justice with respect for every person’s dignity. The miniseries has four episodes, shown over two evenings. It will air for the first time on Monday, November 9, and Tuesday, November 10, on Rai 1 and on the RaiPlay streaming platform, in Italian. Check Rai’s schedule for start times, which were not given in the announcement.