13/11/2003 - The documentary filmmaker was in Iraq to program the making of a documentary on post-Saddam called Babylon: the land between two fires. He was killed, together with 18 other Italians, in yesterday’s kamikaze attack

Yesterday’s attack in Nassiriya cost the life of 19 Italians and 9 Iraqis up to this time. Among the dear is Stefano Rolla, 65, producer and director, who was making a survey of the area for the making of a documentary for Gabbiano Film. The film, to be directed by Massimo Spano, is to be suitably entitled Babylon: the land between two fires..

Spano himself narrates what happened: "It wasn’t a troupe but only Stefano Rolla, executive producer and organizer of the film, and his assistant (who is among the injured). They had already been in those places – recalls the director – for 21 days in June and July and had established a strong relationship with the Italian military stationed in Iraq."

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Stefano Rolla, as well as producing dozens of films and documentaries (including Clown in Kabul by Enzo Balestrieri, set in post-Taliban Afghanistan) began working as an assistant director to Giuliano Montaldo, in 1971 for Sacco and Vanzetti, working later with Dario Argento in Deep Red. He debuted as a director of feature length films in 1980 with Bugie Bianche.