Angels of Evil stop over in Moscow

One of the most charismatic Italian actors, Michele Placido, has presented his latest crime drama Angels of Evil at the Moscow International Film Festival.

ґPlacido became a household name in Russia back in the 1980s after the release of La Piovra (The Octopus) - Damiano Damiani`s TV series about Italian mafia where he played the lead role of Commissar Corrado Cattani.

The popular actor has worked with such directors as Luigi Comencini, Salvatore Samperi and Marco Bellocchio, among others. In 1978 he picked up the coveted Silver Bear award as Best Actor at the 29th Berlin Film Festival for his role in the romantic drama Ernesto.

Placido made his directorial debut at Cannes in 1990, with Tomato. Angels of Evil is the sixth film by the actor-turned-director.

Set in Italy in the 1970s, Vallanzasca is based on the true story of one of Italy`s most notorious gangsters. A criminal by the tender age of nine, Renato Vallanzasca became the country`s most notorious mobster before he turned 27.

While Vallanzasca always stayed true to his own professional "code of honor" - he claimed that he had never "shot anyone in the back" - he and his gang took out their enemies and wrested control of the Milan underworld with a string of high profile robberies, kidnappings and murders. In the process, he captivated a celebrity-starved public and earned the nickname "il bel Renè", the "Handsome Rene", for his devilish charm and handsome face. Arrested multiple times, his daring escapes from prison enraged the government, angered his rivals and fed his fame. He has spent 36 of his 58 years in jail where he is still serving his term.

sections: Culture, Celebrities