L'Animali

At the beginning there is a photo of a man hindered by a straitjacket. This man’s name is Xavier Rocchini. Because of his brutality he is nicknamed L’Animali, the Animal. A few days later, on September 5th, 1888, he will be guillotined on a public square of Sartene, Corsica. This execution is a major event: in this island marked by an endemic criminality, and which has difficulty in integrating the Republic, it’s necessary to make an example... And what better lesson of order and civilization, what better demonstration of inflexible authority that the public execution of a bloodthirsty murderer? No matter the difficulties of the organization of this popular show in this island in the borders of the Republic, no matter the distances that the guillotine and the executioners will have to go through. The capital punishment for this emblematic bandit will have to mark durably the memories. "L’Animali " is the dark narrative of the life of a murderer from his first crime to his death on the guillotine. The only picture of this bandit is the base of this movie. By mixing videos and drawings, in a story imbricating history and fantastic tale, "L’Animali" questions the glances which concern to the "Animal", and tries to reveal the man behind the criminal.