"100 Years of Passion," the film about Napoli's century begins: in theaters in January

A century of Napoli history is being turned into a film. Titled "100 Years of Passion," the film celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Napoli Football Club, due in theaters in January, will not be a celebratory documentary, but a true film, conceived by Aurelio De Laurentiis and produced by his company Filmauro.

Filming has already begun, and the cast, made up of several Neapolitans, met with the press in Chiaia. Actors include Gino Rivieccio, Giovanni Esposito, Susy Del Giudice, Antonio Orefice, and Geppy Gleijeses.

The project stems from a narrative idea that focuses on passion as the underlying theme of a century lived through triumphs, disappointments, belonging, and identity. The story is by Mimmo Carratelli, while the screenplay is by Maurizio De Giovanni in collaboration with director Massimiliano Pacifico.

"It's the story of a feeling that was born at a certain moment and has remained the same, despite events, peaks, and valleys," De Giovanni said. "The main road was designed by Mimmo Carratelli. He drew the line, I set the framework: the idea is to create a wonderful story for fans but accessible to everyone, not just football fans... we want everyone to understand what passion for Napoli means."

The film will be dedicated "to our fathers, our grandfathers, to those who supported us deeply and never saw a championship" and "to all those who live their love from afar, around the world."

The theme of emigration will play a significant role in the story. "It will be told precisely from the perspective of a Neapolitan emigrant," Pacifico explained, also announcing that the screenplay is still evolving. "The writing is fueled daily by the creativity and brilliance of our actors," the director said, before revealing the presence of "other cameos to support and enrich the film."

Diego Armando Maradona will inevitably be among the protagonists of the narrative. "One chapter will be dedicated to our memory, and Diego will occupy a significant part of the narrative," De Giovanni explained.

The announcement of previously unseen footage is also fueling anticipation. "There will be previously unseen footage," anticipated Edo De Laurentiis, vice president of Napoli and present at the meeting representing his father Aurelio. "You'll be very excited," he added, postponing further details until the film's official presentation.

The enthusiasm also spreads to the actors. "If you're not a fan, you can't make this film," said Rivieccio, who then joked about the daily connection between football and life: "A fan of another team wakes up in the morning and calls his mom to see how she's doing. A Napoli fan wakes up in the morning and sees how McTominay is doing. Then, if Scott is okay, maybe he even calls his mom."

"Two things never change: your mother and your football team: Neapolitans forever," commented Gleijeses.

Esposito instead summed up his journey through Azzurri history this way: "In 100 years, a whole lot has happened; we've experienced emotions, joys, regrets. And the character is being invaded by the life of a fan."

For Susy Del Giudice, who was asked to represent Napoli's female fans, the experience was a surprise: "I felt like a little fish out of water among all these fanatics, but I found myself involved in a great game and I'm really enjoying it."

Finally, Orefice, representing the younger generation of the cast, spoke about his impact on the club's history: "I'm learning so many things I didn't know about our history. I'm happy and proud to be part of this project: Forza Napoli, always."