L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano " I am very happy for this honorary Oscar. To all women director? I tell them to do good movies." Italian writer-director Lina Wertmüller flew all the way to Los Angeles from Rome to receive an Oscar for lifetime achievement. David Lynch, Geena Davis and Wes Studi also collected a Honorary Oscar with her. The ceremony was held on Sunday, October 27th, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at the Hollywood and Highland com- plex. Greta Gerwig and Jane Campion presented the Oscar to Wertmüller, who in 1976 beca- me the first woman ever to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar for her masterpiece Seven Beauties. Although she did not win it that year — Rocky won the sta- tuette in that occasion — the Academy at last recognized Wertmüller's enormous contri- bution to the motion picture arts and sciences. The annual event, which celebrates the three win- ners of the honorary awards con- ferred by the AMPAS' Board of Governors – The Honorary Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Irving G Thalberg Memorial Award - highlighted the achieve- ments of Lina Wertmüller. The special Oscar was pre- sented "to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achieve- ment, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the academy," accor- ding to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which administers the Oscars. The ceremony saw the atten- dance of Hollywood giants such as Quentin Tarantino, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Renee Zellweger, Greta Gerwig, Eddie Murphy, Charlize Theron, Jordan Peele, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Pattinson, among many others. "I can't wait for fans of the film to have the opportunity to see Seven Beauties fully resto- red and on the big screen," Wertmüller said. "I am so grate- ful to be receiving an honorary Oscar and to everyone who has put together these wonderful celebrations in my honor. I would like to thank Genoma Films and its President, Paolo Rossi Pisu, which celebrates my career, our cinema and our coun- try. I would also like to thank the National Film Archive, which decided to restore and pre- sent in Cannes the movie that gave me 4 Oscar nominations in 1977, including the one for best director, the very first one for a woman." Seven Beauties, a Holocaust period piece starring Wertmüller's longtime muse, Giancarlo Giannini, was just one of several films she helmed throughout the 1970s that earned her international acclaim and prompted some to hail her as the next Federico Fellini. The 91- year-old Italian director was in fact given an Honorary Academy Award for provocative, ground- breaking films that included The Seduction of Mimi, Love and Anarchy, and Swept Away. Wertmüller was born in Rome on August 14th, 1928. After com- pleting her education, she worked in theatre productions and became an assistant director. She was hired by the famed Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini in 1962 to assist him for surrealist comedy-drama 8 1/2, considered one of the greatest films ever made. Wertmüller directed her first film in 1963: The Basilisks was about impoverish people in Southern Italy. Known for focu- sing on political and social issues, Wertmüller wrote and directed other films, including the afore mentioned The Seduction of Mimi, and Love and Anarchy, which both pre- miered at the Cannes Film Festival. Wertmüller was, in fact, the first female director to have films premiere at Cannes. For almost a week, Italy was in the spotlight in Hollywood (where the Chamber of Commerce also assigned Wertmüller a star on the Walk of Fame), with a series of important events organized by Genoma Films and the National Film Archive, represented by its General Director, Marcello Foti and in collaboration with the Sardinia Film Commission Foundation. The celebrations for Lina began Thursday, October 24th with a special event presented by the Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles, Silvia Chiave, and by the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Valeria Rumori. Lina received the IIC Los Angeles Creativity Award, a recognition of Italian excel- lence in the world in every cre- ative field, awarded in past years to Monica Bellucci, Claudia Cardinale, Gina Lollobrigida, Mario Martone and Gianfranco Rosi. The award is an original work created specifi- cally for the Institute by well- known artist and stylist Emilio Cavallini, inspired by the ceiling of the Pantheon in Rome. During the evening, the docu- mentary film Behind the White Glasses, in competition at the 72nd Venice Film Festival, was screened. On Friday 25th, Seven Beauties and Swept Away were screened at the historical Santa Monica Aero Theater, as part of a retrospective by the American Cinematheque. One of the most anticipated event was Hollywood for Lina, a private lunch at Martha De Laurentiis' house, nested on the Hollywood Hills. Alessandro Del Piero, Paolo Sorrentino, Jodie Foster and Danny Houston joined the lunch that was pre- pared by chef Luciano Carciotto, awarded in Las Vegas as the "best pizzaiolo in the world." On the afternoon of October 28th, Wertmüller received a star on the Walk of Fame. The star is the 2,679th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961, with the first 1,558 stars. Celebrations wrapped on October 28th and 29th: during the True Italian Taste project, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West and Alessandro del Piero hosted an experiential evening at restaurant N.10. Italian companies gave homage to Lina and her statuette, while embracing Italy's gastronomic tradition. "It is an honor to join the business and the film com- munity in paying tribute to Lina's extraordinary career, tal- ent and to this well-deserved Oscar," says soccer player Alessandro Del Piero. Many excellences, including Ferrari Trento DOC, Lavazza coffee design, Amarena Fabbri, Eleven / Twelve and Pecorino Toscano, participated to the event. The conference Italy to Shoot was the closing event of this long weekend celebration. Promoted by American Cinematheque and Genoma Films, and with the collaboration of several Italian institutions like the IFC Italian Film Commission Sardegna Film Commission and Roma-Lazio Film, the meeting confirmed the important connec- tion between American produc- ers and the Italian regions that hosted Wertmüller's movies main sets. Lina Wertmüller received a honorary Oscar and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Copyright: Stefania Rosini) SILVIA GIUDICI LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY Lina with her daughter, left, Consul General Silvia Chiave and IIC Los Ange- les Director Valeria Rumori (Copyright: Stefania Rosini) Director Lina Wer tmüller receives honorary Oscar and Walk of Fame Star

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