Vittorio De Sica- Father of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film
Responsible for making Italian cinema a front-runner at the Academy Awards, six of Vittorio De Sica’s films were praised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences during the golden years of his career.
From 1917 until his untimely death in 1974, Vittorio De Sica worked to become one of the most prolific filmmakers of our time. With nearly 200 films to his credit, including beloved classics including "The Bicycle Thieves"and "Two Women," Vittorio De Sica created timeless portraits of characters struggling to survive in the darkest days.
Like the common theme in many of his films, De Sica grew up with the bare minimum. Born into poverty in 1901 in the town of Sora, a picturesque village along the banks of the Liri river near the Simbruini Mountains in Lazio, De Sica lived in a town stricken with hardship. Perhaps that is why he was a leading force in Neorealism, a film movement born out of the necessity to make films with few resources in the wake of World War II.
Watch this clip in which De Sica mentions his hometown.
De Sica’s characters search for hope and beauty among desolation. Perhaps he drew from his experience growing up in such a beautiful place. Sora’s neighboring commune, Isola del Liri, is a charming island known for its waterfalls that have served as visual muses for artists throughout time. De Sica grew up with nothing among this beautiful landscape in which he prospered as an artist and adapted that experience and message for his neorealist films.
De Sica began his film career in 1917 with a part in Alfredo De Antoni’s silent adventure film, “Il processo Clémenceau” (The Clemenceau Affair). Shortly thereafter, he began a successful stint in theater, in which his dashing looks made him a local stage idol. De Sica enjoyed the stage and screen, appearing in both art forms throughout the 1920s. The next decade would go on to launch his career. In 1932, he made his talkie film debut in “La Vecchia Signora,” and at the same time, he and his first wife, Giuditta Rissone founded their own theater company along with fellow actor and playwright, Sergio Tofano. The company prospered, specializing in comedies, but also featured the work of big-name directors like Luchino Visconti. Meanwhile, De Sica's film career was flourishing and he was making a name for himself as a respected comedy actor.
Two years later, De Sica made "Ladri di biciclette"(The Bicycle Thieves), the story of a Roman family struggling to survive on the streets of Rome, again in the wake of World War II. Antonio Ricci, played by Lamberto Maggiorani is desperately searching to support his family of four. When he is offered a position posting advertisements around the city, he tells his wife that he has to decline because he needs a bike and obviously cannot afford to buy one. She is so happy that he has finally been offered a job, she pawns all her bed sheets and humble valuables to raise the money for the bike. The two are so ecstatic; they enjoy a beautiful victory ride home rejoicing in their new life. Then on the first day of work, Antonio’s bike is stolen. What follows is a portrait of desperation and the lengths a father and young son will go to find justice. The film also won an Honorary Award at the Oscars and to this day, is considered one of the classic films of all time.
"Umberto D," De Sica's 1952 neorealist film and heart-wrenching story of an elderly man and his dog struggling to survive on his pension, earned an Oscar nomination for its screenplay by Cesare Zavattini.
"Sciuscià" and "Ladri di biciclette" were awarded honorary Oscars, while De Sica's 1963, "Ieri, oggi, domani" and his 1971, "Il giardino dei Finzi Contini" won the official awards for Best Foreign Language Film.
In 1951, De Sica’s second wife, Spanish actress Maria Mercader, gave birth to their son, Christian, who followed in his father’s footsteps. Christian De Sica planted his performing roots in music but fate took over and he has since become a celebrated comic actor and director known for his hilarious sketches of Roman characters and infamous Cinepanettone Christmas comedies. He is married to Silvia Verdone, the sister of fellow actor/director, Carlo Verdone.
Watch this clip of Christian talking about his father's work..
De Sica’s legacy lives on in the masterpieces he
created, and the unique way in which he documented a difficult time in Italy's
history through his neorealist films.
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 ...
A scene from "Vermiglio" (Photo: Cinecittà) Inspired by childhood nostalgia and memories of her father, Maura Delpero’s “Vermiglio” is a heartfelt story of one family’s experience during the final days of World War II. Awarded the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 Venice Film Festival where it premiered, the film is set in the picturesque Alpine mountain village of Vermiglio during the mid-1940s. It follows a schoolmaster’s family of 10 as they navigate life on the bare essentials while grappling with the consequences after a Sicilian soldier, played by Giuseppe De Domenico, deserts the army and seeks refuge with them. The soldier’s romance with the family’s eldest daughter, Lucia, portrayed by Martina Scrinzi, unfolds against the backdrop of a provincial family caught in the traditions of a fading era. The film begins with an intimate portrayal of the Graziadei family as they wake up to the cold light of the wintertime sun. The scene opens with three sisters sleepi...
On screen since the tender age of 14, she has captivated audiences for more than 50 years with a compelling combination of strength and vulnerability. She achieved stardom at just 14 years old playing the angelic cousin of a love-struck Marcello Mastroianni in Pietro Germi’s “Divorce Italian Style.” More than half a century later, she is still going strong and remains one of Italy’s most esteemed actors. Stefania Sandrelli was born on June 5, 1946, in Viareggio in the province of Lucca in northern Italy. As a child, she studied music and dance. Then in 1960, she won a beauty pageant and was featured on the cover of Le Ore magazine. Her purity captivated the country and shortly thereafter, movie offers began pouring in. Just one year later, she made her cinema debut in three feature films: Mario Sequi’s Gioventù di notte , Luciano Salce’s The Fascist, and Pietro Germi’s Divorce Italian Style . She instantly became a star and before long was a key figure in Italy’s legend...
Documentary filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi will premiere his much-anticipated latest film at the upcoming 82nd Venice International Film Festival , which runs August 27 - Sept. 6. "Sotto le nuvole" (Below the Clouds) takes a deep dive into the rich history and culture of Naples and the area surrounding Mount Vesuvius. There has not been much information revealed but so far, we know that the film will focus on themes similar to those explored by Rosi in his previous works, such as the examination of Roman culture in "Sacro GRA" (2013) and Lampedusa's refugee crisis in "Fuocoammare" (2016). The film's synopsis reads, “The land around Vesuvius is a vast palimpsest. On the surface, underground and even beneath the sea of the modern city of Naples and its surroundings, the memory of history is etched into tunnels, walls and fissures, the remains of women, children and men — statues, buried cities. Only thin layers separate contemporary and ancient life, an...
If you’re in the mood for a quintessential old-school Italian comedy, look no further than “Totò, Peppino e la malafemmina.” Directed in the mid-1950s by Camillo Mastrocinque, the film has stood the test of time. Starring two of Italy’s most beloved comic actors, Totò (Antonio De Curtis) and Peppino De Filippo, it is widely regarded as one of the country’s most iconic comedies, showcasing mid-century Neapolitan humor. The film also features a young Nino Manfredi at the beginning of his prolific six-decade career. “Totò, Peppino e la malafemmina” is the story of two simple, old-fashioned brothers from Naples, Antonio and Peppino Caponi (Totò and De Filippo respectively), who embark on a trip up north to check on their young nephew Gianni. Gianni has moved to Milan and fallen for a seductive nightclub dancer named Marisa (Maria Luisa Mangini, aka Dorian Gray), whom they refer to as a “malafemmina,” meaning a “bad woman” or femme fatale. Believing she is corrupting him, Totò and Peppino ...
Comments
Post a Comment