Massimo Carlotto (born 22 July 1956) is an Italian writer and playwright.

Biography

The "Carlotto case"

Carlotto was at the center of one of the most controversial legal cases in Italian contemporary history.The Carlotto case
/ref> In 1976, a 25-year-old student, Margherita Magello, was found dead at her home, killed by 59 stab wounds. Massimo Carlotto, a 19-year-old student member of Lotta Continua happened upon the victim after hearing her cries. He found her bleeding and dying inside of a wardrobe. Instead of notifying the police, he panicked and fled. He was soon arrested and charged with homicide. He never wavered in maintaining his innocence. In the first trial, he was acquitted for lack of evidence by the Criminal Court of

Padua Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...

but was then sentenced upon appeal to 18 years

imprisonment Imprisonment is the restraint of a person's liberty, for any cause whatsoever, whether by authority of the government, or by a person acting without such authority. In the latter case it is " false imprisonment". Imprisonment does not necessar ...

by the Court Call the

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

. This sentence was confirmed by the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

in 1982. He became a fugitive, first in France and then in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

, where he was captured after three years on the run and extradited to Italy. A large popular movement took up Carlotto's cause; in addition, a number of prominent figures signed a petition on his behalf including Ettore Gallo,

Jorge Amado Jorge Leal Amado de Faria (10 August 1912 – 6 August 2001) was a Brazilian writer of the modernist school. He remains the best known of modern Brazilian writers, with his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in ...

Nilde Iotti Leonilde Iotti, commonly known as Nilde Iotti (; 10 April 1920 – 4 December 1999) was an Italian politician, member of the Italian Communist Party (PCI). She was the first and only woman member of the PCI to become the president of the Chamber ...

Norberto Bobbio Norberto Bobbio (; 18 October 1909 – 9 January 2004) was an Italian philosopher of law and political sciences and a historian of political thought. He also wrote regularly for the Turin-based daily ''La Stampa''. Bobbio was a social libe ...

, Giandomenico Pisapia, and Ferdinando Imposimato. In 1989 the Supreme Court ordered retrial, sending the case back to the Court of Appeal of Venice to establish whether Carlotto should be acquitted in accordance with the old or the new penal code. In 1990, the question of constitutional legitimacy was raised. In 1991, the Italian Constitutional Court rendered its decision, but the President of Court's retirement meant yet another trial was necessary, during which Carlotto (suffering from a serious metabolic disease) was sentenced to 16 years in prison. This new conviction violated, Carlotto's lawyers argued, the principle of

double jeopardy In jurisprudence, double jeopardy is a procedural defence (primarily in common law jurisdictions) that prevents an accused person from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following an acquittal or conviction and in rare case ...

/ ne bis in idem. Public opinion was on Carlotto's side and in 1993 the Italian President,

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (; 9 September 1918 – 29 January 2012) was the president of Italy from 1992 to 1999. A member of Christian Democracy (DC), he became an independent politician after the DC's dissolution in 1992, and was close to the centr ...

, granted him a

pardon A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...

Writer

Massimo Carlotto began his literary career, particularly writing novels in the ''noir'' genre, with ''Il fuggiasco'' ("The Fugitive", 1995), a fictionalized autobiography about his time on the run. The book was made into a film in 2003, directed by

Andrea Manni Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that r ...

, with

Daniele Liotti Daniele Liotti (born 1 April 1971, in Rome) is an Italian actor. He performed in more than thirty films since 1993. Selected filmography External links * Italian male film actors 1971 births Living people Male actors from Rome ...

as Carlotto. His most famous character is the Alligator, alias Marco Buratti, an entirely original private detective. In 1998 he published ''Le irregolari'', the autobiographical novel of inquiry in which is told the Argentine civil war and repression of the seventies, during the so-called

dirty war The Dirty War ( es, Guerra sucia) is the name used by the military junta or civic-military dictatorship of Argentina ( es, dictadura cívico-militar de Argentina, links=no) for the period of state terrorism in Argentina from 1974 to 1983 a ...

. He knows and has interviewed the founder of the

Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo ( es, italic=no, Asociación Civil Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo) is a human rights organization with the goal of finding the children stolen and illegally adopted during the 1976–1983 Argentine military dicta ...

, Estela Carlotto, whom he transpired to be related to, and who sought news of her daughter and newborn grandson, who numbered among the ''

desaparecidos An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a State (polity), state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or po ...

''. In 2001 he released ''Arrivederci, amore ciao'' (which was adapted into the movie '' The Goodbye Kiss'' by

Michele Soavi Michele Soavi, sometimes known as Michael Soavi (born 3 July 1957)Baldassarre, Angela (1999) "The Great Dictators: Interviews with Filmmakers of Italian Descent", Guernica Editions, is an Italian filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter best known fo ...

, 2005). In 2004 he published ''L'oscura immensità della morte'' ("Death's Dark Abyss"), a particularly dark and nihilistic noir centered on the theme of revenge, which was adapted into the Hindi film Badlapur. His books have been translated in France,

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain,

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

and the United States.

Awards

* Premio del Giovedì (1996) *

Premio Dessì The and its twin the are sedans sold in Japan from 2001 to 2021 by Toyota. The sedans are designated as a compact car by Japanese dimension regulations and the exterior dimensions do not change with periodic updates. Unlike Toyota's other v ...

(1999) * Premio Scerbanenco (1999) * Premio Scerbanenco (2002) * 2nd place

Grand prix de littérature policière The Grand Prix de Littérature Policière (or the Police Literature Grand Prize) is a French literary prize founded in 1948 by author and literary critic Maurice-Bernard Endrèbe. It is the most prestigious award for crime and detective fiction in ...

(2003) * Premio Ciliegia d'oro (2003) * Premio Lama e trama (2005) * Finalist of

Premio Bancarella The Premio Bancarella is an Italian literary prize established in 1953; it is given in Pontremoli Pontremoli (; local egl, Pontrémal; la, Apua) is a small city, ''comune'' former Latin Catholic bishopric in the province of Massa and Carrara, Tu ...

(2006) * Premio del Libraio – Città di Padova (2007) * Finalist of

Edgar Allan Poe Awards The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

for ''Arrivederci amore ciao'' (''The goodbye kiss'', 2007) * Premio Letterario Noir Ecologista Jean Claude Izzo (2009) * Premi
SUGARPRIZE
(2013)

Works

Novels

* '' Il fuggiasco'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 1995. . * '' La verità dell'Alligatore'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 1995. . * '' Il mistero di Mangiabarche'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 1997. . * '' Le irregolari. Buenos Aires horror tour'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 1998. . * '' Nessuna cortesia all'uscita'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 1999. . * '' Arrivederci amore, ciao'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2001. . * '' L'oscura immensità della morte'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2004. . * '' Niente, più niente al mondo'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2004. . * with Marco Videtta, ''Nordest'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2005. . * ''La terra della mia anima'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2006. . * with Francesco Abate, '' Mi fido di te'', Torino, Einaudi, 2007. . * ''L'alligatore'', Roma, Edizioni e/o (I super e/o), 2007. . * '' Cristiani di Allah'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2008. . * con i Mama Sabot, '' Perdas de Fogu'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2008. . * con Francesco Abate, ''L'albero dei microchip'', VerdeNero, 2009. . * ''L'amore del bandito'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2009. . * ''Alla fine di un giorno noioso'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2011. . * '' Respiro corto'', Einaudi, Torino, 2012 * '' Cocaina'' (con

Giancarlo De Cataldo Giancarlo is an Italian given name meaning "John Charles". It is one of the most common masculine given names in Italy and is often short for "Giovanni Carlo". Notable people with the name include: List A * Giancarlo Agazzi (1933–1995), Italia ...

Gianrico Carofiglio Gianrico Carofiglio (born 30 May 1961) is a novelist and former anti-Mafia judge in the Italian city of Bari. His debut novel, '' Involuntary Witness'', published in 2002 and translated into English in 2005 by Patrick Creagh, was published by the B ...

), Torino, Einaudi, 2013. * with Marco Videtta, ''Le Vendicatrici. Ksenia'', Torino, Einaudi, 2013. * with Marco Videtta, ''Le Vendicatrici. Eva'', Torino, Einaudi, 2013. * with Marco Videtta, ''Le Vendicatrici. Sara: Il prezzo della verità'', Torino, Einaudi, 2013. * with Marco Videtta, ''Le Vendicatrici. Luz: Solo per amore'', Torino, Einaudi, 2013. * ''La banda degli amanti'', Roma, Edizioni e/o, 2015,

Short stories

* ''Il confronto'', in Tecla Dozio (a cura di), ''Delitti sotto l'albero''. Todaro editore, 1999. . * ''Champagne per due'', in Tecla Dozio (a cura di), ''Capodanno nero''. Todaro editore, 2000. . * ''Il viaggio di Stefano'', in ''Tutta un'altra vita''. Roma, Minimum Fax, 2001. . * ''Malavita albanese'' in Laura Lepri (a cura di), ''Albania, questa sconosciuta. In viaggio con il Premio Grinzane Cavour''.

Editori Riuniti Editori Riuniti is an Italian publishing house based in Rome that publishes books and magazines on the history of socialism, socialist thought, physics and mathematics theory, and the history of Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Histor ...

, 2002. * ''Carlo Marx e l'impresario'', in ''Nel Grembo del mondo'', Ed. Angolo Manzoni, 2003. . * ''Sassi, bottiglie e candelotti'', in Paola Staccioli (a cura di), ''Piazza bella piazza'', allegato a

L'Unità ''l'Unità'' (, lit. 'the Unity') was an Italian newspaper, founded as the official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) in 1924. It was supportive of that party's successor parties, the Democratic Party of the Left, Democrats of th ...

. Roma, Associazione Walter Rossi, 2005. * ''Gaia'', in Laurent Lombard (a cura di), ''À table!''. Métailié, 2004. * ''San Basilio, 8 settembre 1974'', in Paola Staccioli (a cura di), ''In ordine pubblico''. Roma, Associazione Walter Rossi, 2005. * ''Morte di un confidente'', in ''Crimini'', Einaudi, 2005. . * ''Il piccolo patriota padovano'', in Giosuè Calaciura ''et al'', ''Ricuore''. Nuoro, Edizioni Il Maestrale, 2005. . * ''Il traghetto'' in ''Le finestre sul cortile. Frammenti d'Italia in 49 racconti''. Quiritta, 2005. . * ''Sangue che va sangue che viene'', in Marco Bariletti ''et al'', ''Lama e trama Vol. 3''. Bologna, Editrice Zona, 2006. . * ''Storia di Gabriella vedova di mala'', in Serge Quadruppani (a cura di), ''14 colpi al cuore. Racconti inediti dei migliori giallisti italiani''. Milano, Mondadori, 2002 . Collana: Il Giallo Mondadori, n. 2789. * ''Cuori rossi'', in (a cura di) Marco Vichi. ''Città in nero'', 1 ed. Parma, Ugo Guanda, 2006. . * ''Jasmine'' in Francesco Abate e Massimo Carlotto. ''Catfish''. Reggio Emilia, Aliberti editore, 2006. . * ''Nessun dubbio: omicidio-suicidio'', in Mauro Zola (a cura di), ''Ti amo, ti ammazzo. Storie vere di amanti e assassini'', Cairo Editore, 2007 * ''Little dream'', in

(a cura di) ''Crimini italiani''. Torino, Einaudi, 2008. . * ''Cortonese station'', in ''Nero perugino''. Perugia, Futura soc. coop., 2008 (edizione fuori commercio). * ''A

Carlo Giuliani Carlo Giuliani was an Italian anti-globalization protester who was shot dead while attacking a Carabinieri van with a fire extinguisher, by an officer who was inside the van, during the anti-globalization riots outside the July 2001 G8 summit i ...

, per il nostro domani'', in Paola Staccioli (a cura di), ''Per sempre ragazzo. Racconti e poesie a dieci anni dall'uccisione di Carlo Giuliani'', Marco Tropea editore, 2011

Essays

* ''Come un rito collettivo'' in ''Almanacco Guanda'' a cura di Ranieri Polese. Parma, Guanda, 2005. * ''Patotas'' in '' Nessuna Pietà'' a cura di Luca Scarlini. Adriano Salani editore, Milano 2009

Graphic novels

* Massimo Carlotto,

Giuseppe Palumbo Giuseppe Palumbo (born 10 September 1975 in Syracuse) is an Italian racing cyclist. Palumbo became Junior World Champion in the road race twice, in 1992 and 1993. Palumbo rode the Giro d'Italia in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2009, but nev ...

. ''L'ultimo treno''. Edizioni BD, 2004. . * Massimo Carlotto, Luca Crovi & Andrea "Red" Mutti. ''Arrivederci amore, ciao'', in Eraldo Baldini ''et al.'' ''Alta criminalità''.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore Arnoldo Mondadori Editore () is the biggest publishing company in Italy. History The company was founded in 1907 in Ostiglia by 18-year-old Arnoldo Mondadori who began his publishing career with the publication of the magazine ''Luce!''. In 1 ...

, 2005. . * Massimo Carlotto,

Igort Igort (born Igor Tuveri; September 26, 1958) is an Italian comics artist, illustrator, script writer, and film director. Biography He began his career in Bologna at the end of the seventies, collaborating with numerous magazines: including L ...

. ''Dimmi che non-vuoi morire''. Milano, Mondadori, 2007. . * Massimo Carlotto,

. ''Tomka. Il gitano di Guernica''. Rizzoli, 2007. .

Literature for young people

* Il giorno in cui Gabriel scoprì di chiamarsi Miguel Angel, 2001 . * Jimmy della Collina, 2002 * with Tinin Mantegazza, Il mistero dei bisonti scomparsi, 2010

English editions

*''The Colombian Mule'', English translation by Christopher Woodall, 2001 . *''The Master of Knots'', English translation by Christopher Woodall, 2002 . *''The Goodbye Kiss'', English translation by Lawrence Venuti, 2006 . *''The Fugitive'', English translation by Anthony Shugaar, 2007 . *''Death’s Dark Abyss'', English translation by Lawrence Venuti, 2007 . *''Poisonville'', English translation by Lawrence Venuti, 2009 . *''Bandit Love'', English translation by Anthony Shugaar, 2010 . *''At the End of a Dull Day'', English translation by Anthony Shugaar, 2013 . *''Gang of Lovers'', English translation by Anthony Shugaar, 2015 . *''For All the Gold in the World'', English translation by Anthony Shugaar, 2016 . *''Cocaine'', English translation by Shaun Whiteside, 2020 . *''Blues for Outlaw Hearts and Old Whores'', English translation by Will Schutt, 2020 .

References

External links

*
Il ritorno dell'Alligatore
', Official site of Alligator series *
Official web page of Massimo Carlotto

Interview to The Guardian
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlotto, Massimo 1957 births Living people Italian communists Italian mystery writers Italian male writers Writers from Padua Italian people convicted of murder Italian people imprisoned abroad Italian journalists Italian male journalists Italian prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of Italy Trials in Italy