By Christos Zambounis

From the first episode of the Italian TV series, the mind of the Greek viewer goes to “17 November”. The similarities with the “Red Brigades”, the famous “Brigade Rosse”, are obvious. One question that arises is why our version of armed struggle has not yet been made into a film, or a serial. The neighbours, on the contrary, are quite bravely bending over their recent, largely traumatic, history. General Dalla Chiesa is, after all, their hero, the man who, with his methodical approach, dismantled what is perhaps Europe’s most dangerous terrorist organisation.

When he completed his successful activity, not unscathed, he was transferred to Sicily to face another opponent, more dangerous than the Mafia. The virtues of RAI’s production lie in three factors. The first is the excellent direction. The second is the strong cast, with performances that leave an imprint on the memory. The third is the archival material from the state channel that enriches the plot. Having watched other similar Italian series such as “Il Traditore”, “La Porta”, “Gomorrah”, or even “Suburra”, starring mainly members of the Cosa Nostra, our General, as the Greek version stands out because it presents the narrative from the point of view of the Police and its officers.

At a time when in our country there are revelations about corrupt officers of the National Police and their links with the Greek Mafia, the screening of this series may have been useful for the training of the members of the Security Forces. The concept of duty, which General Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa defended so much during his career, I am sure can be an example to be emulated.