Francesco Rosi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Francesco Rosi
Rosi at the Cannes Film Festival, 1991
Born	(1922-11-15)15 November 1922 Naples, Campania, Kingdom of Italy
Died	10 January 2015(2015-01-10) (aged 92) Rome, Italy
Alma mater	University of Naples
Occupation	Director, screenwriter
Years active	1948–1997
Children	1
Awards	Golden Lion (1963) Palm d'Or (1972) Honorary Golden Bear (2008) Golden Lion (2012, career)

Francesco Rosi (born November 15, 1922 – died January 10, 2015) was a famous Italian film director. He was known for making movies that often had strong messages about society and politics.

His film The Mattei Affair won the top award, the Palme d'Or, at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival. Rosi kept directing films until 1997, with his last movie being The Truce, based on a book by Primo Levi.

In 2008, he received the Honorary Golden Bear award for his amazing career at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2012, he was given the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Biennale, another very important film award.

About Francesco Rosi

Early Life and Career Start

Francesco Rosi was born in Naples, Italy, in 1922. His father worked in shipping and was also a cartoonist.

During World War II, Rosi studied law in college. After that, he started illustrating children's books and worked as a reporter for a radio station. He became friends with other artists and writers, who he often worked with later.

His journey into entertainment began in 1946, helping with a play. Soon after, he joined the film industry. He worked as an assistant director for famous filmmakers like Luchino Visconti. He also helped write screenplays for movies such as Bellissima (1951).

In 1956, he co-directed his first film, Kean – Genio e sregolatezza. His first film as the main director was La sfida (The Challenge) in 1958. This movie was very realistic and showed tough issues in society.

The next year, he directed The Magliari, which was about an Italian immigrant in Germany.

Films of the 1960s

Rosi became a key director in Italian cinema during the 1960s and 1970s. He made films that explored real-life problems in Italy after the war.

One of his most famous films from this time was Salvatore Giuliano (1962). This movie told the story of a Sicilian gangster using flashbacks. It won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 12th Berlin International Film Festival.

In 1963, he directed Hands over the City. This film bravely showed how some people in power might have been involved in unfair building projects in Naples. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Rosi explained that he was interested in how people act within society.

His 1965 film, The Moment of Truth, was about a bullfighter in Spain. After this, Rosi made a different kind of movie, a fairy tale called More Than a Miracle (1967). It starred famous actors Sophia Loren and Omar Sharif.

Films of the 1970s

In 1970, Rosi directed Many Wars Ago. This film showed the difficulties and meaninglessness of war during World War I.

From 1972 to 1976, Rosi became even more famous for tackling important and sometimes sensitive topics. These films included:

• The Mattei Affair (1972): This film was about the mysterious death of a powerful oil businessman. It won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
• Lucky Luciano (1974): This movie explored the life of a well-known gangster.
• Illustrious Corpses (1976): This film looked at corruption within the justice system. Critics highly praised this movie for its powerful storytelling.

In 1979, Rosi directed Christ Stopped at Eboli, based on a famous book by Carlo Levi. This film won the Grand Prize at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival and a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1983.

Films of the 1980s and 1990s

After another successful film, Three Brothers (1981), Rosi continued to make important movies.

He directed a film version of the famous opera Carmen in 1984. In 1987, he made Chronicle of a Death Foretold, based on a novel by Gabriel García Márquez. This film featured a great cast of actors.

In 1990, he directed The Palermo Connection. Rosi also returned to directing plays for the theatre during this time.

His last film as a director was The Truce in 1997. It was based on the memoir of Primo Levi, a survivor of the Holocaust. Rosi described this film as being about "the return to life."

Awards and Later Life

In 2005, Rosi received an honorary degree for his work. The Berlin International Film Festival honored him in 2008 by showing 13 of his films. He received the Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement there.

In 2009, he was awarded the Legion of Honour from France. In 2012, the Venice Biennale gave him the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. They praised his careful historical research and strong storytelling.

Francesco Rosi passed away on January 10, 2015, at the age of 92, due to health issues. Many famous Italian filmmakers attended his memorial service in Rome. The Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, who was a friend of Rosi's, sent white roses.

Director Giuseppe Piccioni said Rosi's work gave Italy "identity and dignity." Director Paolo Sorrentino dedicated his 2015 movie Youth to Francesco Rosi.

Impact and Legacy

Francesco Rosi's films, especially those from the 1960s and 1970s, often carried important messages about society and politics. As he grew older, his films sometimes focused more on literature.

The Variety Movie Guide said that Rosi's films often explored the connections between legal and illegal power. The British Film Institute noted that Rosi was a master of "cine-investigation," meaning he used film to investigate real-life events. He influenced many artists, including famous directors like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

Actor John Turturro, who starred in Rosi's last film, called Rosi a "mentor." He said Rosi helped actors physically act out scenes and understood them well.

Awards

BAFTA Awards

• 1983: BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film – Christ Stopped at Eboli
• 1986: Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film – Carmen

Cannes Film Festival

• 1972: Palme d'Or – The Mattei Affair

Venice Biennale

• 1963: Golden Lion – Hands over the City
• 2012: Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

David di Donatello Awards

• 1965: Best Director – The Moment of Truth
• 1976: Best Director – Illustrious Corpses
• 1976: Best Film – Illustrious Corpses
• 1979: Best Director – Christ Stopped at Eboli
• 1979: Best Film – Christ Stopped at Eboli
• 1981: Best Director – Three Brothers
• 1981: Best Screenplay – Three Brothers
• 1985: Best Director – Carmen
• 1985: Best Film – Carmen
• 1985: Best Cinematography – Carmen
• 1997: Best Film – The Truce
• 1997: Best Director – The Truce

Moscow International Film Festival

• 1979: Grand Prix – Christ Stopped at Eboli

Silver Ribbon Awards

• 1959: Best Original Film – The Challenge
• 1963: Best Director – Salvatore Giuliano
• 1981: Best Director – Three Brothers
• 2014: Lifetime Achievement Award

Academy Award Nomination

• 1981: Nominated for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film – Three Brothers

Berlin Film Festival

• 1962: Silver Bear for Best Director – Salvatore Giuliano
• 2008: Honorary Golden Bear

Bari International Film Festival

• 2010: "Premio Federico Fellini" for artistic excellence

Honors

•  Italy 1995: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
•  Italy 1987: Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
•  France 2009: Officer of the Legion of Honour

Filmography

Director

Francesco Rosi directed 20 films. His first major directing work was in 1952, and his last film was The Truce in 1997.

Writer Only

Director and Screenwriter

Original Stories

Based on Other Works

Theatre Director

• In Memory of a Lady Friend (1963)
• Naples Millionaire (2003)
• The Voices Within (2006)
• Filumena Marturano (2008)

See also

In Spanish: Francesco Rosi para niños