Aahana Swrup
The Netflix Italian crime action show ‘Public Disorder’ dives into a highly nuanced exploration of the experiences of riot police officers, or the Celerini, at a time when their professional and personal lives are put under scrutiny. During an intense protest at Vali di Susa, Pietro—a riot squad leader—gets gravely injured, leaving his team under the command of Mazinga, who is burning with vengeance. As a result, a particularly brutal encounter leaves numerous protestors injured a distance away from the force’s assigned charges. Nonetheless, in the following internal affairs investigation, everyone from hotheaded Salvatore to the only woman in the group, Marta, works together to cover the truth.
Naturally, the arrival of their new leader, Michele Nobili—known as a snitch among the cops of Rome—proposes a severe conflict. Originally known as ‘A.C.A.B. La Serie,’ Filippo Gravino’s show presents an extensive case study of an already polarizing socio-political concept. Nevertheless, it creates profoundly humane identities for its characters and offers a narrative that remains ripe with authentic realism.
Public Disorder is a Part of Carlo Bonini’s Multi-Media Franchise
Even though ‘Public Disorder’ has fascinating origins, it isn’t through a direct connection with any singular real-life people or events. The show is a continuation of Stefano Sollima’s 2012 film ‘A.C.A.B. – All Cops Are Bastards.’ That film, in itself, is an adaptation of the eponymous novel by Carlo Bonini. The Italian book, published in 2009, establishes itself as a true story-inspired narrative as it finds its basis in a collection of documents, testimonies, and remembrance of some real-life people.
Through the novel, journalist Bonini tells a story from the perspective of cops and follows them through cases of brutal urban violence carried out by the riot police in instances of escalated protests or public disorder. As a result, it strives to offer an objective glimpse into the lives of cops. Its nuanced approach highlights the scope of exploitation and brutality that comes with the profession while also examining the role that society and the system play in it. This results in an expansive exploration of a complicated topic that retains the complexity and intricacies authentic to real life.
Bonini’s insight brings the same authenticity to the television adaptation, in which he serves as a screenwriter alongside the other writers, including Elisa Dondi, Luca Giordano, Filippo Gravino, and Bernardo Pellegrini. The show picks up more than a decade after the novel and its cinematic predecessor but brings back one of the central characters, Mazinga. The story’s spirit remains the same—focusing on the socio-political standing of riot cops amidst rapidly growing anti-cop sentiments. However, the show offers a modernized version of this concept, staying up to date with contemporary times. From discrimination against the Romani population to the anti-TVA public protests, the show employs multiple plotlines that are relevant to the current social landscape. As a result, even though the characters and their specific storylines remain a work of fiction, ‘Public Disorder’ finds crucial roots in reality through its thematic material.
Public Disorder Aims for a Realistic Depiction of the Italian Police Force
For the creators of ‘Public Disorder’ and the various voices involved in its making, ensuring that the show offers an authentic and varied understanding of its central characters was crucial. It sets itself up for a polarizing reception from the get-go, as it follows a squad of riot policemen who are attempting to hide their latest dabbling in police brutality. Nonetheless, the narrative retains its unique identity by refraining from establishing a black-and-white lens. Instead, it continues to offer space for moral ambiguity, forcing its audience into uncomfortable situations to compel them into truly engaging with the subject matter.
Tinny Andreatta, Netflix’s Vice President of Italian content, elaborated on the same approach. She brought focus to the urgent necessity of such a show in the socio-political conversations currently unraveling around the central topics. Furthermore, Andreatta shared the significance of the show’s nuanced evaluation of the violence born from the system and how it has an effect on society as well as the police officers that exist within the same system. Consequently, the narrative never equips a didactic point of view.
Instead, it finds its strengths in a polarizing depiction of the blatant and discomfiting truth. It showcases the systemic violence that the police force is capable of while also offering a look into their personal lives. For the creators, the key to this remained a stark lack of judgment, forcing a near-objective lens over their construction of the characters and their storylines. In doing so, the story forces the audience to humanize its central characters, perhaps even empathize with them—for better or for worse. Yet, it sustains a context of a highly anti-cop social situation, lighting a spark toward vital conversations about a real-life issue. Thus, ‘Public Disorder’ presents a realistic tale through socially relevant themes and instances and a commitment to authenticity for each character.
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