Italian Cinema Today

Carlo Levi and Anna Magnani  Fondazione Carlo Levi, Rome In my ongoing quest to learn more about 20th century artist and writer, Carlo Levi , I recently discovered one of his most celebrated masterpieces,  Ritratto di Anna Magnani  (Portrait of Anna Magnani), an  oil on canvas,  which was created in 1954.  His close friendship with Anna Magnani was news to me but what I found most fascinating about this portrait is the presence of Levi’s post-1935 style, his new pictorial approach referred to by art critics as the "wavy" brushstroke. He developed this style during his political exile in Basilicata in 1935 when he spent much of his time there creating stunning portraits of the contadini (peasants) he befriended, who served as the inspiration behind his infamous novel, Christ Stopped at Eboli , which was later made into a movie by Francesco Rosi . It fascinates me because it's further proof how much of an impact that one year of exile in Basilicata had on him. Click here

An advocate for women’s freedoms in the early 20th century, her creative achievements are still celebrated today. Tina Modotti was an artistic and literal revolutionary. Born Assunta Adelaide Luigia Modotti Mondini on Aug. 16, 1896, in Udine, Italy, Modotti quit elementary school at the age of 12 to earn money to help her family make ends meet. Her father immigrated to the United States, and in 1913, she joined him in San Francisco. There, she became involved in the performing arts and landed parts in plays, operas and films. Modotti starred in three silent films during the early 1920s. Only one is still in circulation. Adapted from Elizabeth Dejeans’s 1917 novel “The Tiger’s Coat,” Roy Clements’ 1920 drama has stood the test of time due to its forward-thinking takes on racism and society’s views on interracial relationships. A feast for the eyes with elaborate sets and costumes, the film follows Maria de la Guarda, aka Jean Ogilvie (Modotti), as she assumes the identity of a dead woma