He worked in a number of capacities
(pizzaiolo, translator, academic researcher) whenever
he was able. In Mexico, he was betrayed by a lawyer, underwent
torture following a case of mistaken identity, and then
returned to Italy and to prison.
In 1986, Massimo Carlotto became
the focus of an international defence campaign that won
wide backing: the South American novelist Jorge Amado
and the eminent Italian philosopher Norberto Bobbio were
among his supporters. In 1993 he was finally released
from prison with a pardon from the President of Italy.
The 'Carlotto case' had marked an era in Italian legal
history and was already being studied at universities.
He had been tried a total of eleven times and had amassed
96 kilos of court proceedings.
After his release, Massimo quickly turned to writing.
His first and most autobiographical novel, Il fuggiasco
(Fugitive) relates the almost eighteen years between his
arrest and his presidential pardon. A film version of
Il fuggiasco, directed by Andrea Manni and starring Daniele
Liotti, was released in 2003. It has won many awards.
Since then, Massimo has written eight other novels, several
plays, countless newspaper articles and essays. Film versions
are currently being made of two of his most recent novels
(Arrivederci amore, ciao and L'immensa oscurità
della morte). He also continues to act as a consultant
to criminal lawyers, assisting them in cases involving
organised crime, political intrigue and state intelligence.
Recently, Massimo has collaborated on a couple of graphic
novels, written a crime series for Italian radio and is
currently (early 2005) completing a four-part drama set
in NE Italy. In January 2005, he signed a contract with
his Italian publishers for five more novels.
He lives just outside Cagliari (Sardinia) with his wife
and child.
