The Diversity of Actress Valentina Lodovini

"I think cinema has a huge power, in that it can describe many things and awaken much in us.” Those words come from Valentina Lodovini, one of the brightest stars in Italian cinema today.

Valentina Lodovini was born in 1977 in Umbertide, a small commune in Umbria. She spent her childhood growing up in San Sepolcro in Arezzo. Since she was a little girl, she always had dreams of acting, but didn’t pursue them until she graduated from college and went on her first audition. Since then, she’s done more than a dozen a films and is earning respect as one of the most sought after leading ladies in Italian cinema.

Lodovini has had a very successful career on the big screen. Her first role was in a film with some of the biggest names in the business. Ovunque sei was directed by Michele Placido in 2004 and stars Stefano Accorsi and Barbora Bobulova.

Despite her success in film, Lodovini continues to go back and forth between television, stage and the big screen. In a 2008 interview with Luxury Magazine, she said that it seems like a switch of language to her; a cinematic language, a theatrical language and a television language. She appreciates the challenge of diversity in her career. When she is considering portraying a character, she always starts from the story, and then assesses how different that character is from others she’s taken on in the past. She always tries to choose very different women because it gives her a challenge and let’s her explore the depths of her own skills. When watching Lodovini at work, it is obvious that she indeed digs very deep within herself to bring out her characters. She becomes her characters and creates their own idiosyncrasies and uniqueness. She acts out, she moves around, she makes use of the set and props. There’s never a dull moment when Lodovini is onscreen. When asked if there is still a character out there that she’d really like to play, she had this to say; “I would definitely like some edgier, dirtier, more realistic characters. There’s too often a really frightening superficiality and vulnerability in cinema that ought to be wiped away. To fight that, I always try to convey the shades of grey within a character, the qualities that we can all relate to. For instance, if I have to play a girl next door type, I’d also like to show her imperfections and neuroses, making her more real and authentic.”

Comments

A Conversation with Sergio Castellitto

Sergio Castellitto has made a profound impact on world cinema, both in front of and behind the camera. Born in Rome in 1953, Castellitto graduated from film school in 1978 and credits American cinema with pushing him toward a career in acting. His work has garnered numerous accolades, largely due to his immersive, original approach to projects in film, television and theatre. Castellitto is fluent in French and English, which has contributed mightily to his international stardom. But it's the actor's trademark brown eyes and charming everyman qualities that have lent his various characters -- even the ones that are rough around the edges -- an air of dignity that other actors might not have achieved. Sergio Castellitto and Margaret Mazzantini, 2005 Films such as "Paura e Amore," "L'uomo delle stelle," "Caterina va in città," and "Bella Martha" heralded Castellitto as a versatile artist with far-reaching abilities. But it ...

Interview: Cristina Scabbia of Italian Heavy Metal Band- Lacuna Coil

Photo by Jeremy Saffer ( http://store.jeremysaffer.com/collections/tenthirtyoneinc ) Lacuna Coil is a heavy metal band whose unique sound and creative music videos have catapulted them to international stardom. The band consists of Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro on vocals, Marco Coti Zelati on bass, Cristiano Migliore and Marco 'Maus' Biazzi on guitars and Cristiano 'CriZ' Mozzati on drums. All members hail from Milan and bring to the table their own signature talent. A few years ago, the internet buzz about Lacuna Coil's music videos prompted me to check them out on YouTube. I've been hooked ever since. Their videos are creative vignettes shot all over the world, directed by cutting edge filmmakers in Europe and the United States. Although Lacuna coil is considered a heavy metal band, the unique melodies in their songs are rarely found in traditional heavy metal. The range of the band is also something you rarely see in this genre of mus...

Ettore Scola explores enduring friendships and lost ideals in 'C’eravamo tanto amati'

A scene from "C'eravamo tanti amati" Mixing both tragedy and humor, Ettore Scola ’s 1974 film “C’eravamo tanto amati” (“We All Loved Each Other So Much”) follows 30 years in the lives of three men and the woman they each adore. By examining how his generation changed after the war, Scola makes a film that reflects its era. Scola explores the moral, political and emotional evolution of Italy’s postwar generation and, in doing so, creates a film that is a chronicle of its time and a love letter to cinema. The story begins in the aftermath of World War II. Three friends — Antonio ( Nino Manfredi ), Gianni (Vittorio Gassman) and Nicola (Stefano Satta Flores) — emerge from the Italian Resistance with a shared dream of justice, equality and social renewal. They are united by their hope that the sacrifices of war will lead to a better world. But the decades that follow prove to be challenging as Italy undergoes massive social changes, from the postwar economic boom to the politi...

Federico Fellini: A Look into the Life and Career of an Icon

A Fellini family portrait “The term became a common word to describe something on the surface you can say is bizarre or strange, but actually is really like a painter working on a film,” said Martin Scorsese when asked to define “Felliniesque,” an adjective inspired by one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. The oldest of three children, Federico Fellini was born in the seaside town of Rimini in 1920. His father was a traveling salesman, so his mother was left to do the bulk of raising the children. One can argue that Fellini was born for his destiny. “You could tell that even as a child, he was different and unique. He was very intelligent, well above average. He was always the one to organize things, direct the others, make up games. He could control the other kids with just a look, said Fellini’s sister, Maddalena, in an interview with journalist Gideon Bachmann. Not only was Fellini directing the children, but he was also putting on shows and charging ...

The Life and Work of Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci as Malèna Born in Umbria in 1964, Monica Bellucci is one of the most recognizable faces of international cinema. But she didn't always have her sights set on the spotlight. She went to college to study law and modeled to pay her tuition. Her success in the fashion world coupled with the offers that were pouring in to appear on the big screen eventually took over, changing her fate. Bellucci made her on-screen debut in the 1990 television movie, " Vita coi figli." Just two years later, she scored her first American role in Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula." In addition to her native language, she speaks fluent English and French, which has made for a smooth transition from Italian to international cinema. Stateside, she has acted in blockbusters such as "The Matrix-Reloaded," " The Passion of the Christ" and " The Sorcerer's Apprentice." She has also appeared in several French films, a...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog