

Cefalonia
“The true story of Captain Corelli's Mandolin”
Synopsis
Cefalonia tells the real story about what happened in September 1943 on the Greek island of Kefalonia (Cefalonia in Italian), when the 12,000 men in the Italian 33rd Acqui Infantry Division, following Italy's surrender to the Allied, refused to put themselves under German command and also refused to surrender their weapons. The local German force, supported by Stuka dive-bombers and additional troops, attacked the Italians and after several days of combat the Italians surrendered, having lost 1,300 men. As punishment, the German High Command ordered that all surviving Italians should be executed. Some 5,000 were executed during a week of killings. A handful were rescued by locals and the Greek guerrilla, while the rest were shipped off as prisoners, whereof 3,000 drowned when their ships hit mines. The film "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" is based on a novel about the Italian occupation of Cefalonia, but the massacre was much toned down in the Hollywood version.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Release History & Theatrical Window
1st episode's release
Festival / Special Debut
October 4, 2006
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Riccardo Milani
- Screenplay & Story
- Stefano Rulli, Sandro Petraglia
- Original Score
- Ennio Morricone
- Original Title
- Cefalonia
- Country of Origin
- Italy
- Spoken Languages
- Italian
- Runtime
- 2h 16m
- Production Studios
- Cineteam, Palomar, Endemol Italia, RAI
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Riccardo Milani
Stefano Rulli, Sandro Petraglia
Ennio Morricone
Stefano Ricciotti
Patrizia Ceresani
Carlo Degli Esposti, Anna Giolitti, Aldo Raparelli, Silvio Severi
Department Leadership Roster
Ennio Morricone
Original Music Composer
Carlo Degli Esposti
Producer
Stefano Rulli
Writer
Sandro Petraglia
Writer
Patrizia Ceresani
Editor
Anna Giolitti
Producer
Aldo Raparelli
Producer
Stefano Ricciotti
Director of Photography
Riccardo Milani
Director
Silvio Severi
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Cefalonia.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Cefalonia.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cefalonia
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Cefalonia about?
Cefalonia tells the real story about what happened in September 1943 on the Greek island of Kefalonia (Cefalonia in Italian), when the 12,000 men in the Italian 33rd Acqui Infantry Division, following Italy's surrender to the Allied, refused to put themselves under German command and also refused to surrender their weapons. The local German force, supported by Stuka dive-bombers and additional troops, attacked the Italians and after several days of combat the Italians surrendered, having lost 1,300 men. As punishment, the German High Command ordered that all surviving Italians should be executed. Some 5,000 were executed during a week of killings. A handful were rescued by locals and the Greek guerrilla, while the rest were shipped off as prisoners, whereof 3,000 drowned when their ships hit mines. The film "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" is based on a novel about the Italian occupation of Cefalonia, but the massacre was much toned down in the Hollywood version.
Who directed Cefalonia?
Cefalonia was directed by Riccardo Milani.
Who stars in Cefalonia?
The principal cast of Cefalonia includes Luca Zingaretti, Luisa Ranieri, Corrado Fortuna, Jasmine Trinca, Claudio Gioè.
When was Cefalonia released and how long is it?
Cefalonia was released in 2005 with a total runtime of 2h 16m.
Who composed the musical score for Cefalonia?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Cefalonia was composed by Ennio Morricone.



















