When you make a movie about the Italian mob in the most dangerous areas of Naples, Italy you’re going to need some protection. Prosecutors in southern Italy are now looking at director Matteo Garrone and author Roberto Saviano have been accused of paying the mob protection money and illegally cooperating with figures of the mob.

According to a former mob member turned informer, Garrone paid $26,000 to kingpin Alessandro Cirollo and whether the Camorra mob had a part in the filmmaking for Gomorrah. In addition, they’re looking at whether the filmmakers were forced to buy supplies from Camorra-assisted businesses.

This isn’t amazingly surprising for a film that had a lot of connections to the mob already. Garrone was wildly praised for getting great performances from non-professional actors that were mob workers in the past. He also lived in the dangerous Naples neighborhood of Scampia for two months to prepare for the film.

We’ll find out in the future about whether it’s true or not, but it has to be said that the film is amazingly close to the real thing. Authenticity can go a long way. Hell, the movie was even nominated for an Oscar. [THR]