Celebrating Italian Film Directors | Italian American Heritage Month
/In recognition of Italian American Heritage Month, we shine the light on iconic Italian film directors. Italy has a prestigious and robust film industry, and the nation has won more Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film (14 out of 32 nominations) than any other country. From Federico Fellini to Roberto Benigni, Italian filmmakers have dominated the awards circuit and captured the hearts and minds of filmgoers for decades. In honor of Italian Heritage Month, and all the Italian Americans that call New York City home (more than any other city in the US), we invite you to read about some iconic Italian film directors.
Vittorio De Sica
De Sica directed some of the earliest Italian films to garner notice at the Academy Awards. He won special honorary awards for 1946's "Shoeshine" and 1948's "Bicycle Thieves," and many film historians point to these early wins as encouraging the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1956 to establish an annual award for Best Foreign Language Film. De Sica went on to win that award twice, for 1963's "Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow" and 1970's "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis." He also directed the influential films "Two Women," which won Sophia Loren an Oscar in 1962 (the first for a non-English speaking role), and 1964's "Marriage Italian Style."
Federico Fellini
Fellini is considered by many film historians to be the greatest Italian director of all time and one of the most influential film directors period. From 1946 through 1976, he earned 16 Academy Award nominations as a writer and director, and four of his films – 1954's "La Strada," 1957's "Nights of Cabiria," 1963's "8½," and 1973's "Amarcord" – won Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film. He won that coveted prize the first two years of its existence (at the 29th and 30th ceremonies), and no other filmmaker has directed more winners in that category ever. He also directed the 1960 classic "La Dolce Vita," which earned him his first nomination for Best Director.
Sergio Leone
In the 1960s, Leone made such an impact on cinema that a new subgenre was coined to describe his unique take on an American classic – the Spaghetti Western. Leone's legendary "Dollars Trilogy" starring Clint Eastwood (1964's "A Fistful of Dollars," 1965's "For a Few Dollars More," and 1966's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly") have entertained and influenced multiple generations of filmgoers and filmmakers. Nearly all of his films include scores by the iconic Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
Franco Zeffirelli
Filmgoers primarily remember Zeffirelli for his Shakespearean film adaptations, but he tackled multiple genres during his five-decade career. Many critics consider 1968's "Romeo and Juliet" to be the quintessential take on the oft-told tale of star-crossed lovers. He also found critical success with 1967's "The Taming of the Shrew" and 1990's "Hamlet." In 1977, he directed the star-studded television miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth," immensely popular with both audiences and critics. In the 1980s, he shifted his attention toward adapting operas for the big screen, directing 1982's "Pagliacci," 1983's "La Traviata," and 1986's "Otello," among others. He also co-wrote and directed 1999's critically acclaimed, semi-autobiographical "Tea with Mussolini."
Lina Wertmüller
Wertmüller directed many influential and acclaimed films in the 1970s, including 1972's "The Seduction of Mimi," 1973's "Love and Anarchy," and 1974's "Swept Away." In 1978, Wertmüller became the first woman to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, for 1975's "Seven Beauties." She used comedy to tell tragic tales and critique Italian politics and history, inspiring countless female directors to share their stories with future generations of filmgoers.
Bernardo Bertolucci
In 1988, Bertolucci became the first Italian filmmaker to win Best Director at the Oscars, for 1987's "The Last Emperor," which also won Best Picture and seven additional awards. The biopic of Chinese ruler Puyi was the first Western feature authorized by the People's Republic of China to film in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Bertolucci was never one to shy away from controversy, as he made a name for himself with 1970's political drama "The Conformist" and 1972's X-rated erotic drama "Last Tango in Paris."
Dario Argento
Argento is best known for directing classic and influential horror films, particularly 1977's cult classic "Suspiria" and his "Animal Trilogy" – 1970's "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage," 1971's "The Cat o' Nine Tails," and 1972's "Four Flies on Grey Velvet." Argento helped popularize the Italian horror subgenre giallo, which combines elements of thrillers, murder mysteries, and horror films and heavily influenced American slasher films that followed. He began his career as a screenwriter collaborating with fellow Italian greats Leone and Bertolucci and is still writing and directing into his 80s. He most recently directed and co-wrote 2022's horror film "Dark Glasses," which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year.
