Francesca Bertini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Francesca Bertini
Bertini in Assunta Spina (1915)
Born	Elena Seracini Vitiello (1892-01-05)5 January 1892 Prato, Italy
Died	13 October 1985(1985-10-13) (aged 93) Rome, Italy
Occupation	Actress
Spouse(s)	Paul Cartier

Francesca Bertini, from a 1917 publication.

Francesca Bertini (born Elena Seracini Vitiello; 5 January 1892 – 13 October 1985) was a famous Italian silent film actress. Silent films were movies without spoken dialogue, where actors used their expressions and body language to tell the story. She was one of the biggest movie stars in the early 1900s.

Biography

Francesca Bertini was born in Prato, Italy. Her mother was an actress. Francesca was registered at an orphanage in 1892 as Elena Taddei. Later, she took her stepfather's family name, Vitiello.

She started acting on stage when she was 17. Soon after, she began working in the new Italian movie industry. She got a big role in a dramatic story called Assunta Spina.

By 1915, she had acted in over 50 films. One of these was Histoire d'un pierrot, directed by Baldassarre Negroni in 1913. Francesca became known for her beauty and grace. She also had a strong and charming personality. These qualities made her very successful in silent movies.

With the film Assunta Spina in 1915, she did more than just act. She also helped with the script. She even claimed she was the real director of the movie. She introduced new ways of acting that made the film feel more real.

Francesca Bertini was one of the first movie actresses to focus on showing real life. Instead of acting in an over-the-top way, she showed true feelings. This was a new idea, like the later Neorealistic style of filmmaking. Her ability to show real emotions made her very popular. She could play many different types of characters. She was great at playing both sad, elegant women and everyday common women. Some of her other important roles included Odette, Fedora, Tosca, and the Lady of the Camellias.

In 1920, a big Hollywood studio, Fox Film Corporation, offered her a contract. But she said no. She had married a rich Swiss banker named Paul Cartier. She wanted to move to Switzerland with him. After her husband passed away, she moved back to Rome. She lived there until she died.

She also acted in some sound movies later on. However, Italian cinema had changed a lot by then. It was a difficult time for movies in Italy. This was partly due to fascism and censorship. Movie production almost stopped completely during World War II.

Later Years

In 1976, director Bernardo Bertolucci convinced her to act again. She took on the role of a nun in his movie Novecento. She also gave an interview in 1981. This interview was used for a three-part TV documentary in 1982. Francesca Bertini passed away in Rome when she was 93 years old.

Selected filmography

See also

In Spanish: Francesca Bertini para niños