In 1985, a pleasure cruise aboard the Italian ship Achille Lauro turned into a nightmare when Palestinian militants hijacked the vessel off the Egyptian coast, taking over 400 people hostage.
The documentary Achille Lauro – The Cruise of Terror (1x90'), airing in first-run on Tuesday, October 7 in primetime, reconstructs those dramatic days filled with fear, diplomatic intrigue, and tragic consequences — including the killing of an American passenger and the intense standoff at the Sigonella airbase between Italy and the U.S. The documentary delves into the political chess match that followed: failed rescue attempts, international tensions, and a historic diplomatic standoff between Italian Prime Minister Bettino Craxi and U.S. President Ronald Reagan over the fate of the captured militants. The murder of American passenger Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled man thrown overboard by the hijackers, shocked the world and became a symbol of terrorism’s human toll.
For the first time, one of the surviving hijackers, Abdellateef Fataier, breaks his silence, joined by key witnesses who revisit a pivotal moment in modern history.
Directed by Simone Manetti and written by Giuseppe Bentivegna, Vania Del Borgo, and Raffaele Brunetti, the film is produced by B&B Film with WDR Arte and Hearst Networks Italia.
Awarded Best Feature at the 11th Visioni dal Mondo International Festival, it will also be available on Sky Documentaries and streaming on NOW.
