The Life and Times of Actress-turned-Activist Tina Modotti

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 woman to hide her ethnicity and marry the man of her dreams. With her simple yet stunning good looks, Modotti radiates the mystique she was known for her entire life from the moment she steps in front of the camera.

Watch “The Tiger’s Coat” on YouTube, with a special intro...

Modotti could have cashed in on her exquisite beauty but was frustrated with the stereotypical roles being offered to her because of her Mediterranean look, so she left the movie industry. She became interested in photography and studied with legendary lensman Edward Weston. Their rapport turned into love, and the two moved to Mexico together in 1923. The change in scenery profoundly altered the course of Modotti’s life.

The couple became friends with the artists of the Mexican Renaissance, including iconic painter Frida Kahlo and her partner Diego Rivera. For the next several years, Modotti immersed herself in her craft, finding her own voice and style as a photographer. Meanwhile, the political influence of her friends was shaping her societal values, so much so that she joined the Mexican Communist Party in 1927. The line between art and politics blurred as she adapted to her new life in Mexico. She photographed people of all social classes, highlighting the plight of the poor amid the political unrest of the time.

Expelled from Mexico because of her activism, Modotti spent time in various countries throughout Europe during the mid-’30s, including Spain, where she aided orphaned children during the Spanish Civil War. During those years, she connected with prominent artists and intellectuals like Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and Hungarian-American war photographer Robert Capa, both of whom had also journeyed to Spain to offer their support.

Modotti returned to Mexico in 1939 but passed away on Jan. 5, 1942, under suspicious circumstances. The cause of death was listed as heart failure. She was only 45 years old.

Today, Modotti is highly regarded as a photographer and is frequently the subject of exhibitions around the world. Last year, the Museo delle Culture in Milan played host to the exhibit “Tina Modotti: Women, Mexico, and Freedom.” Curator Biba Giacchetti considers Modotti not only a titan of photography but also a warrior for civil justice. “During her short lifetime, Tina Modotti fought on the front line for freer and fairer humanity, and to bring aid to the civilian victims of conflicts like the Spanish Civil War,” she stated in material published in connection with the exhibit.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has also showcased Modotti’s work, with 35 photographs taken between 1924 and 1927. Click here to view them on the museum’s website.

A six-part miniseries is being made about her life, with Monica Bellucci in the starring role and Edoardo De Angelis in the director’s chair. Produced by Argentinian filmmaker Paula Alvarez Vaccaro, the series will be titled “Radical Eye: The Life and Times of Tina Modotti.”

Several books about her life and art are available on Amazon. A restored version of “The Tiger’s Coat” is available on YouTube (see above) along with a 1983 documentary titled “Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti.” Watch it below...

- Written by Jeannine Guilyard for the March 2022 issue of Fra Noi Magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Comments

Ornella Muti: Five decades of Acting and Still Going Strong

Ornella Muti was born Francesca Romana Rivelli in Rome in 1955 to a Neapolitan father and an Estonian mother. She began her career as a model during her teenage years and made her film debut in 1970 with “La Moglie più bella” (The Most Beautiful Wife). Her follow-up role was in the 1971 film, “Sole nella pelle” (Sun on the Skin), in which she played the daughter of wealthy parents who runs off with a hippie they don’t approve of. The film offers a telling journey through Italian society in the seventies, with its political climate, breathtaking seaside, and the styles and cars of that time. Much of the film is set amid the sunny Italian seaside and captures the innocence and beauty of first love. Muti made her American film debut in 1980 with "Flash Gordon." She played the role of Princess Aura. She’s appeared in two other American films, including “Oscar,” directed by John Landis and starring Don Ameche, Chazz Palminteri, and Sylvester Stallone. In 1992, she w...

Model/Actress Anna Falchi

Anna Falchi was born Anna Kristiina Palomaki, on April 22, 1972, in Tampere, Finland. Her mother, Kaarina Palomaki Sisko, is Finnish, while her father, Benito "Tito" Falchi, is from Romagna, Italy. Growing up in Italy, Anna was a tomboy, and had a fervent imagination. She is known mostly for her prolific career in modelling. However, she tried her hand at acting and landed a role in one of my favorite Italian comedies, Nessun messaggio in segreteria . I consider it my one of my favorites because it brought together so many amazing, talented filmmakers during a time when they were all just starting out. Those filmmakers, Pierfrancesco Favino, Valerio Mastandrea, Luca Miniero and Paolo Genovese are now huge names in contemporary Italian cinema, so it's great to look back and see their work in a low-profile film completely different from the bigger-budget stardom they now know. Watch the trailer . Anna Falchi started her career as a...

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 ...

Gianni Amelio: An Iconic Filmmaker Inspired by Humble Beginnings

The films of this year’s edition of Open Roads: New Italian Cinema, the annual film series hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York, reflect a country in crisis. Italians are facing unprecedented economic challenges right now with the loss of jobs and a political infrastructure lacking the stability needed to get the country back on track. Each director featured in the Open Roads festival communicates that crisis in a uniquely different way; some with comedy, some with anger and resentment, and others with humble characters who will do just about anything to put food on the table. This brings me to veteran director, Gianni Amelio, and what a class act. I had the pleasure of talking with Amelio while he was in New York promoting two films included in this year’s edition of Open Roads- a documentary titled, "Happy to be Different," which explores gay life in Italy after the fall of fascism through the early '80s and "L’intrepido," the story of ...

A Conversation with Actor- Luca Calvani from Warner Bros. Upcoming Release "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."

The cast and filmmakers of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in Rome A few years ago, I interviewed actor, Luca Calvani on the occasion of his U.S. release, When in Rome . Today, we are revisiting our conversation as he is promoting his much anticipated spy thriller, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Directed by Guy Ritchie, the all-star cast includes Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Jared Harris, and Hugh Grant. Based on the television series by Sam Rolfe, the story is set in the 1960's and follows CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin as they participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons. The U.S. release date is set for August 14, but the cast recently did some press for the film in the Eternal City, where much of it was shot. Luca Calvani Born in Tuscany, Calvani has traveled the world following his career. He began working as a model in the 1990's...

Italian Cinema Today

Search This Blog