Piedone

Directed by Director's notes
  • Alessio Maria Federici
Directed by
  • Alessio Maria Federici
Year
  • 2025
Year
  • 2025
Cast
  • Salvatore Esposito
  • Silvia D’amico
  • Fabio Balsamo
  • Susy Del Giudice
  • Massimiliano Rossi
  • Carla Ruffo
  • Gaia Scodellaro
  • Antonio De Matteo

Synopsis

After a failed blitz in which he lost track of Eduardo Iodice, his sworn enemy, Inspector Vincenzo Palmieri of the Mobile Squad went as far away from Naples as possible, ending up in Stuttgart. There, we find him dressed in his alias FlatFoot, fighting a wrestling match. Only in the locker room does he remove his mask and return to being Vincenzo Palmieri. Everyone copes with their pain as best they can, and he found this: putting on a mask and pretend-fighting. In reality, Vincenzo is an Interpol undercover agent in Stuttgart. During an interception, he hears a name, that name: ‘O moschillo, Eduardo Iodice’s nickname, who was presumed dead in Brazil. But Vincenzo doesn’t believe in ghosts and decides to return home. For Vincenzo, returning to his hometown, a different Naples that still holds its soul, means coming full circle. He returns to duty, welcomed by Deputy Commissioner Ruotolo, who has known him forever and respects him, even knowing that Palmieri uses those unconventional methods learned from Commissioner Rizzo, known as Piedone, the legend of all Neapolitan cops. Ruotolo also knows his subordinate’s obsession with Iodice, so he teams Vincenzo with Commissioner Sonia Ascarelli, a policewoman very different from him. The two will give each other a hard time but will learn to know each other, and Sonia will discover that behind Vincenzo’s determination to capture Iodice lies much more: a man of great humanity, always on the side of the weakest, with a propensity to protect young people. In the new team, allocated to the port of Naples, Vincenzo finds the new entry Michele Noviello, who immediately looks up to him, and Valentina Capezio, an old colleague and friend. Between one investigation and another, with cases linked to current events, there will be no shortage of twists and smiles, and Vincenzo will try to make peace with his own ghosts.



Director's notes
  • The figure of Vincenzo Palmieri, linked to the iconic Piedone (Flatfoot) played by Bud Spencer, arrives on the small screen as a straightforward, practical, and somewhat gruff character, but with traits of profound humanity. Together with Salvatore Esposito, who embodies him, we opted for a colorful and lively visual style, with dynamic shots: the action sequences are an expression of Vincenzo Palmieri's personality and his approach to the world. We wanted to re-embrace the duality of the Piedone myth, playing with the contrast between his physical imposingness and his sensitivity: every scene reflects this complexity, using shots that emphasize his weight in the community, thanks to locations that tell the story of Neapolitan culture, but also his vulnerability. This is how Vincenzo Palmieri's fragilities also emerge, while Sonia Ascarelli (Silvia D'Amico) grows primarily through her interaction with Palmieri. Telling all of this was possible thanks to Sky, Wildside, and Titanus who, for the first time, believed in the character of Piedone and his modernity, and to the entire production team who passionately worked on this project; to Salvatore Esposito, who perfectly embodied our modern Piedone along with two great travel companions, Silvia D'Amico and Fabio Balsamo. To the great legacy left by Bud Spencer's character, without which none of this would have been possible.

    Alessio maria Federici director