Ettore Scola (; 10 May 1931 – 19 January 2016) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He received a
Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film in 1978 for his film ''
A Special Day'' and over the course of his film career was nominated for five
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...
for Best Foreign Language Film.
Life and career
Scola was born in
Trevico,
Avellino, Campania. At age 15, he became a ghostwriter. He entered the film industry as a screenwriter in 1953 and collaborated with director
Dino Risi
Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy, and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of ''commedia all'italiana''.
Biography
Risi was born in Milan. He had an ...
and fellow writer
Ruggero Maccari
Ruggero Maccari (28 June 1919 – 8 May 1989) was an Italian screenwriter.
Specially known by his collaboration with film director and screenwriter Ettore Scola. He wrote Commedia all'italiana films such as ''The Easy Life'', ''Brutti sporc ...
on the screenplay for Risi's feature, ''
Il Sorpasso
''Il sorpasso'' (), also titled ''The Easy Life'' in English, is a 1962 Italian comedy film co-written and directed by Dino Risi and starring Vittorio Gassman, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Catherine Spaak. It is considered Risi's masterpiece and on ...
'' (1962). He directed his first film, ''Let's Talk About Women'', in 1964. In 1974, Scola enjoyed international success with ''
We All Loved Each Other So Much'' (''C'eravamo tanto amati''), a wide fresco of post-World War II Italian life and politics, dedicated to fellow director
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Widely considered one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, four of the fil ...
. The film won the Golden Prize at the
9th Moscow International Film Festival
The 9th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 10 to 23 July 1975. The Golden Prizes were awarded to the Polish film '' The Promised Land'' directed by Andrzej Wajda, the Soviet-Japanese film '' Dersu Uzala'' directed by Akira Kurosawa ...
.
In 1976, he won the Prix de la mise en scène at the
1976 Cannes Film Festival
The 29th Cannes Film Festival took place from 13 to 28 May 1976. American author Tennessee Williams served as jury president for the main competition.
American filmmaker Martin Scorsese won the Palme d'Or, the festival's top prize, for the drama ...
for ''
Down and Dirty''.
Scola made further successful films, including ''
A Special Day'' (1977), ''
That Night In Varennes'' (1982), ''
What Time Is It?'' (1989) and ''
Captain Fracassa's Journey
''Captain Fracassa's Journey'' () is a 1990 Italian comedy film directed by Ettore Scola. The film is based on the 1863 novel '' Captain Fracasse'' by Théophile Gautier. It was entered into the 41st Berlin International Film Festival.
Plot
Th ...
'' (1990). He directed close to 40 films in some 40 years. His film ''Passione d'amore'', adapted from a 19th-century novel, was adapted by
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...
and
James Lapine
James Elliot Lapine (born January 10, 1949) is an American stage director, playwright, screenwriter, and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for ''Into the Woods'', ''Falsettos'', and '' Passion''. He ha ...
into the award-winning musical ''
Passion''. He was a member of the jury at the
1988 Cannes Film Festival. .
A lifelong supporter of left-wing politics, Scola was part of the
shadow cabinet of the
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party (, PCI) was a communist and democratic socialist political party in Italy. It was established in Livorno as the Communist Party of Italy (, PCd'I) on 21 January 1921, when it seceded from the Italian Socialist Part ...
in 1989 as
Minister of Culture
A culture minister or a heritage minister is a common cabinet position in governments. The culture minister is typically responsible for cultural policy, which often includes arts policy (direct and indirect support to artists and arts organiza ...
.
In 2009, Scola signed a petition in support of film director
Roman Polanski
Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (; born 18 August 1933) is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Roman Polanski, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Britis ...
, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in relation to his
1977 charge for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl.
Scola died in Rome on 19 January 2016 at the age of 84.
Filmography as director
* ''
Let's Talk About Women'' (1964)
* ''
Thrilling'' (1965)
* ''
Hard Time for Princes'' (1965)
* ''
The Devil in Love'' (1966)
* ''
Will Our Heroes Be Able to Find Their Friend Who Has Mysteriously Disappeared in Africa?'' (1968)
* ''
Police Chief Pepe'' (1969)
* ''
The Pizza Triangle'' (1970)
* ''
My Name Is Rocco Papaleo'' (1971)
* ''
The Most Wonderful Evening of My Life'' (1972)
* ''
Trevico-Turin: Voyage in Fiatnam'' (1973)
* ''
Festival Unità'' (1973) – documentary
* ''
We All Loved Each Other So Much'' (1974)
* ''
Goodnight, Ladies and Gentlemen
''Goodnight, Ladies and Gentlemen'' (, ) is a 1976 French-Italian satirical comedy anthology film. It comprises twelve episodes on themes of corruption in various Italian institutions, each by a different writer and director collectively credi ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Down and Dirty'' (1976)
* ''
A Special Day'' (1977)
* ''
La terrazza'' (1980)
* ''
Passion of Love'' (1981)
* ''
That Night in Varennes'' (1982)
* ''
Vorrei che volo'' (1982) – documentary
* ''
Le Bal'' (1983)
* ''
Macaroni'' (1985)
* ''
Imago urbis'' (1987) – documentary
* ''
The Family'' (1987)
* ''
Splendor'' (1988)
* ''
What Time Is It?'' (1989)
* ''
Captain Fracassa's Journey
''Captain Fracassa's Journey'' () is a 1990 Italian comedy film directed by Ettore Scola. The film is based on the 1863 novel '' Captain Fracasse'' by Théophile Gautier. It was entered into the 41st Berlin International Film Festival.
Plot
Th ...
'' (1990)
* ''
Mario, Maria and Mario'' (1993)
* ''
The Story of a Poor Young Man'' (1995)
* ''
The Dinner'' (1998)
* ''
Unfair Competition
Anti-competitive practices are business or government practices that prevent or reduce competition in a market. Antitrust laws ensure businesses do not engage in competitive practices that harm other, usually smaller, businesses or consumers. ...
'' (2001)
* ''
Un altro mondo è possibile'' (2001) – documentary
* ''
Lettere dalla Palestina'' (2002) – documentary
* ''
Gente di Roma'' (2003)
* ''
How Strange to Be Named Federico'' (2013) – documentary
Awards
* 1966:
Nastro d'Argento
The (plural: ''Nastri d'Argento''; English: Silver Ribbon) is an Italian film award, held since 1946 by the ''Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani'' (Italian National Union of Film Journalists). Awards are given annually in ...
Best script ''
Io la conoscevo bene''
* 1975:
Moscow Film Festival
The Moscow International Film Festival (, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is a film festival first held in Moscow in 1935 and became regular since 1959. From its inception to 1959, it was hel ...
Best film ''
C'eravamo tanto amati''
* 1976:
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world.
Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
Best Director for ''
Down and Dirty''
* 1977:
César Award for Best Foreign Film for ''C'eravamo tanto amati''
* 1978:
Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film for ''
A Special Day''
* 1977:
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nominee for ''A Special Day''
* 1978: Academy Award nominee for ''
Viva Italia!''
* 1978: César Award for Best Foreign Film for ''A Special Day''
* 1978: Nastro d'Argento Best script for ''A Special Day''
* 1978:
David di Donatello
The David di Donatello Awards, named after Donatello's ''David (Donatello, bronze), David'', a symbolic statue of the Italian Renaissance, are film awards given out each year by the ''Accademia del Cinema Italiano'' (the Academy of Italian Cin ...
Best Director for ''A Special Day''
* 1980: Cannes Film Festival
Best script for ''
La terrazza''
* 1980: Nastro d'Argento Best script for ''La terrazza''
* 1981: Nastro d'Argento Best script ''
Passion d'amour
''Passion of Love'' () is a 1981 Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola and was adapted from the 1869 novel '' Fosca'' by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti. The film was entered into the 1981 Cannes Film Festival and served as the inspiration for the ...
''
* 1983: David di Donatello Best script for ''
La Nuit de Varennes''
* 1983: Academy Award nominee for ''
Le Bal''
* 1984:
César Award for Best Director for ''Le Bal''
* 1984:
Berlin Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...
:
**
Silver Bear for Best Director
The Silver Bear for Best Director () is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury from the films in the Competition ...
for ''Le Bal''
** Jury of readers
Berliner Morgenpost
''Berliner Morgenpost'' is a German newspaper, based and mainly read in Berlin, where it is one of the most read daily newspapers.
History and profile
Founded in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, the paper was taken over by Axel Springer AG in 1959 a ...
for ''Le Bal''
* 1984: David di Donatello:
** Best Director ''Le Bal''
** Prix Alitalia for ''Le Bal''
* 1986: Golden Medal of the City of Rome at for the 30th anniversary of
David di Donatello
The David di Donatello Awards, named after Donatello's ''David (Donatello, bronze), David'', a symbolic statue of the Italian Renaissance, are film awards given out each year by the ''Accademia del Cinema Italiano'' (the Academy of Italian Cin ...
* 1987: Academy Award nominee for ''
La famiglia''
* 1987: David di Donatello:
** Best Director ''La famiglia''
** Best Script ''La famiglia''
* 1987: Nastro d'Argento:
** Best Director ''La famiglia''
** Best Script ''La famiglia''
* 1990:
Berlin Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...
:
**
Golden Bear
The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...
(nominated)
* 1990: Pietro Bianchi award at
Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
* 1995: Award for his career at
Flaiano Film Festival
* 1997: a Golden Palm Star on the
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
,
Walk of Stars, was dedicated to him.
* 2001:
23rd Moscow International Film Festival Best Director for ''
Concorrenza sleale''
* 2001: Taormina Arte Award at
Taormina Film Fest
Taormina Film Fest (TFF) is an annual film festival that takes place at Taormina, Sicily, Italy, in July. It was established in 1955 in Messina, and in 1957 became Rassegna Cinematografica Internazionale di Messina e Taormina, until it moved per ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scola, Ettore
1931 births
2016 deaths
People from the Province of Avellino
Italian film directors
Italian comedy film directors
Best Director César Award winners
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director winners
Silver Bear for Best Director recipients
David di Donatello winners
David di Donatello Career Award winners
Nastro d'Argento winners
Ciak d'oro winners
Italian communists
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay winners