Italy and those who dwell in this country have made significant contributions to the culture of the western world. One sector they have contributed to is the movie industry and Italy has produced some of the best film directors in the world. Here are the top five of these.
Federico Fellini
Fellini was born in 1920 and is well-known for his distinct directorial style. His work often uses a combination of Baroque and fantasy images. He is considered one of the finest directors of all time and has won many awards for his work. These have included a grand prize at the Moscow International Film Festival, a Palme d’Or, two Silver Lions, and four Oscars. One of his best films to watch is ‘8 ½’. Fellini died in 1993.
- Michelangelo Antonioni
Antonioni was born in 1912 and is most famous for his movie ‘Blow-up’ which is about a photographer who is involved in a murder case. This modernist film director grew up in Northern Italy and was influential in film aesthetics. His films have influenced many art films that followed as other directors were inspired by him. Michelangelo Antonioni died in 2007.
- Bernado Bertolucci
Bernado Bertolucci is a well-known director who was born in 1940. This Academy award-winning director is best-known for his film ‘The Last Emperor’ which was filmed in China. It was the first western film about China to be filmed in the country with the full cooperation of the Chinese government. Another of his famous films is ‘The Last Tango in Paris’.
- Vittorio De Sica
De Sica was born in 1902 and died in 1974. As a child, he lived in poverty and became an actor as a young adult before switching to his role behind the camera. He is a neorealist director who often collaborated with a scriptwriter called Cesare Zavattini. One of his best films is ‘Two Women’, starring Sophia Loren. This is about a woman who tries desperately to protect her teenage daughter from the horrific events of the war.
- Luchino Visconti
Visconti was born in 1906 to a wealthy family. In fact, they were one of the richest families in Milan and the Duke of Grazzano was his father. Primarily, Visconti was a neorealist director. One of his best works was ‘The Damned’ for which he earned international acclaim when he won an Oscar for this movie. Another great film of his to watch is ‘Death in Venice’. His films are characterized by the aesthetics.
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