Ermanno Olmi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ermanno Olmi
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Olmi in 2013
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| Born | 24 July 1931 |
| Died | 7 May 2018 (aged 86) Asiago, Italy
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| Occupation | Film director Screenwriter Cinematographer Film editor |
| Years active | 1953–2018 |
Ermanno Olmi (born on 24 July 1931 – died on 7 May 2018) was a famous Italian film director and screenwriter. He was known for making movies that showed the lives of everyday people. His films often had a deep, thoughtful feel and explored important social ideas.
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About Ermanno Olmi
Ermanno Olmi was born into a Catholic family in Bergamo, a city in northern Italy. When he was three years old, his family moved to Milan. There, he went to a science high school and also took acting classes.
Olmi became interested in making films while working at an electrical company called Edisonvolta. He started by creating short films, called 16mm documentaries, about power plants. These early experiences helped him learn about filmmaking.
In 1963, he married Loredana Detto. She had acted in his film Il Posto (1961). Another one of his early movies was I fidanzati (1963).
His Famous Films
One of Olmi's most well-known films is The Tree of Wooden Clogs (its Italian name is L'Albero degli zoccoli). This movie won the top prize, the Palme d'Or, at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival. The story for this film came from his grandmother's tales about how farmers lived in Italy a long time ago.
In 1988, his film La leggenda del santo bevitore (which means The Legend of the Holy Drinker) won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. This film was based on a book by Joseph Roth and starred Rutger Hauer. It also won a David di Donatello award, which is a major Italian film award.
His movie The Profession of Arms (Il mestiere delle armi) also won a David di Donatello award. In 2008, Olmi received an honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for his lifetime achievements in film.
Ermanno Olmi passed away on 7 May 2018, in Asiago, after a long illness.
How Olmi Made Films
Olmi's movies are often described as "humanistic" and "reflective." This means they focused on people's feelings and thoughts. They showed ordinary people in real places, and often had a deeper meaning about society. His films also had a poetic touch, making them beautiful to watch.
His films are similar to a style called Italian neorealism. This was a film movement in Italy that showed real life after World War II. Olmi used real people, not professional actors, in his films. He also filmed in real places, which made his movies feel very true to life.
Like many neorealist films, Olmi's movies often used long, slow shots. They also usually included some kind of social commentary. This means they quietly shared ideas about society and how people live.
Awards and Honors
Ermanno Olmi received many important awards for his work:
- 1978: Palme d'Or for The Tree of Wooden Clogs
- 1988: Golden Lion for The Legend of the Holy Drinker
- 2004: Leopard of Honour
- 2008: Honorary Golden Lion
David di Donatello Awards
- 1962: Best Director for Il Posto
- 1989: Best Director for The Legend of the Holy Drinker
- 2002: Best Director for The Profession of Arms
Nastro d'Argento Awards
- 1979: Best Director for The Tree of Wooden Clogs
- 1989: Best Director for The Legend of the Holy Drinker
Filmography (List of Films)
Here are some of the films Ermanno Olmi directed:
- Time Stood Still (1959)
- Il Posto (1961)
- The Fiances (1963)
- A Man Named John (1965)
- One Fine Day (1968)
- The Circumstance (1973)
- The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
- Walking, Walking (1983)
- Long Live the Lady! (1987)
- The Legend of the Holy Drinker (1988)
- The Secret of the Old Woods (1993)
- Genesis: The Creation and the Flood (1994)
- The Profession of Arms (2001)
- Singing Behind Screens (2003)
- One Hundred Nails (2007)
- The Cardboard Village (2011)
- Greenery Will Bloom Again (2014)
Film Showings and Tributes
Many film organizations have shown special collections of Olmi's movies to honor his work.
- In February 2016, the Cinémathèque suisse in Lausanne held a special showing of his films.
- From January to February 2019, the Austrian Film Museum showed almost all of Olmi's films. This was done with the Cineteca Nazionale and the "Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Vienna."
- Also in 2019, Film at Lincoln Center in New York City honored Olmi with a two-week showing of his films. These films then traveled to Cleveland, where the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque also showed them.
See also
In Spanish: Ermanno Olmi para niños
