Released in cinemas today, The Commander (or Comandante in its native Italian) tells the incredible true story of a World War 2 submarine captain who sacrificially rescued 26 Belgian survivors after sinking their ship, the Kabalo, which was carrying aircraft spare parts for the British.

Taking them all on board meant his overcrowded vessel, the Cappellini, had to remain surfaced for three days.

This, therefore, put the lives of both crews in danger, as they were visible to the British Royal Navy, which would also play a part in this amazing rescue back in October 1940.

Speaking exclusively with Express.co.uk, the film’s director, Edoardo De Angelis, shared how he came upon this true story, how close to reality The Commander is and what part the British Royal Navy played.

On how he came across the story of Submarine Captain Salvatore Todaro, who would be killed in the war two years later, the director shared: “Sadly, throughout the years, many migrants have died in the desperate attempt to reach our shores. In the summer of 2018, however, a line of inhumanity was crossed by Italian authorities. The Italian government closed their ports completely, leaving all migrants at sea; the deaths that resulted from that choice will forever weigh on our conscience and our country. In that unsettling scenario, the head of the Italian coast guards was not allowed to openly criticise the government institution to which he belonged. He, therefore, decided to decry its inhumane policies through the use of an allegory. He told the true eye-opening story of Salvatore Todaro. By doing so, he underlined the fact that even in times of war, under a totalitarian regime, men cannot, under no circumstances, be left at sea. As Todaro himself, the Don Quixote of the sea would have put it, ‘We sink our enemy’s ships, but the men, the men we save!’”

On how close the film’s plot is to real-life history, the director said: “The movie is based on a true story. However, some of the events that took place in different expeditions have been merged within a single one to the one portrayed in the film.”

And on the British involvement in the rescue, Edoardo shared: “As reported by Mr Fornaro, a hydrophonist and today's only living member of Todaro's crew, the Cappellini couldn't go underwater due to the large number of people occupying the ship after the rescuing of the Kabalo members. The captain of an English ship agreed to a ceasefire so that Todaro could bring the shipwrecked to safety. I haven't found official sources about this event, but I like to think that there has been a moment, in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of a war, in which the soldiers have let the men lead the way.”

It seems as though Todaro returned the favour. After getting the Belgian crew to land, he would later sink a British armed steamer called Shakespear in January 1941. Once again, he had the Cappellini tow a lifeboat full of the 22 British survivors to safety on the Islands of Cape Verde.

The Commander is out now in select UK cinemas and will be available on demand from December 23, 2024.