Liliana Cavani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liliana Cavani
Cavani in 1993
Born	(1933-01-12) 12 January 1933 (age 92) Carpi, Kingdom of Italy
Alma mater	University of Bologna (1959)
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter
Years active	1961–present

Liliana Cavani, born on January 12, 1933, is a famous Italian film director and writer. She became well-known around the world after her 1974 movie, The Night Porter, became a big hit. Liliana Cavani's films often explore historical events and ideas. Besides making movies and documentaries, she has also directed many operas.

Early Life and Education

Liliana Cavani was born in Carpi, a town near Modena in Italy. Her father was an architect who loved urban development and took her to museums. He even worked in urban planning in Baghdad in 1956. Liliana's mother was very strong and sweet, and she loved movies. She took Liliana to the cinema every Sunday.

Liliana's mother's family were working-class and strongly against fascism. Her grandfather, who was a syndicalist, taught her about important thinkers like Engels, Marx, and Bakunin.

In 1959, Liliana graduated from Bologna University. She studied literature and wrote about a poet from the 1400s. She first wanted to be an archeologist, but soon decided to follow her passion for filmmaking. She went to the famous Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia film school in Rome. There, she learned about making documentaries. She made short films like Incontro notturno (1961) about friendship, and L'evento (1962) about tourists.

Starting a Film Career (1961–1965)

While still in film school, Liliana Cavani won a competition at RAI, Italy's national TV network. She started working there in 1961 as a director of historical documentaries. This is how her professional career began.

Between 1961 and 1965, she made several important documentaries for RAI. One was Storia del III Reich (History of the Third Reich) (1962–1963). This series showed the rise of the Nazi regime and was the first TV investigation into German totalitarianism. She also made L'età di Stalin (The Stalin Years) about the Soviet leader, and La donna nella Resistenza (1965). Her documentary Philippe Pétain, processo a Vichy won the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival in 1965. During this time, she also made Il giorno della pace, a four-hour documentary about people moving from southern to northern Italy.

Early Feature Films and Themes

Francis of Assisi (1966)

In 1966, Cavani made her first feature film, Francesco di Assisi (Francis of Assisi). This film was made for television and shown in two parts. It was compared to films by famous directors like Roberto Rossellini. The movie showed Francis of Assisi as a protester. It was a success with critics but also caused some debate. Some people called it "heretical" because of its portrayal.

Galileo (1968)

Her next film, Galileo (1968), focused on the conflict between science and religion in the 1600s. It showed how Astronomer Galileo Galilei's ideas about the Earth moving around the sun clashed with the church's beliefs. This led to him being questioned by the Inquisition. Even though it was planned as a TV series, RAI decided not to broadcast it.

The Year of the Cannibals (1969)

The Year of the Cannibals (1969) was Cavani's first film made with an independent company. It used the ancient Greek story of Antigone to talk about Italy's political situation at the time. The film is set in Milan. It tells the story of a young woman who tries to bury rebels killed by the police, even though the authorities forbid it. A mysterious man helps her, and soon others follow their example. This film was not very popular. After this, Cavani returned to TV with a documentary series called I bambini e noi (1970).

The Guest (1971)

Cavani's film L’ospite (The Guest) (1971) explored social and psychological ideas. It is about a woman who leaves a mental hospital and struggles to fit back into society. She ends up escaping into her imagination. This film, starring Lucia Bosè, was made with a small budget and shown at the Venice Film Festival.

Milarepa (1973)

In 1973, the director explored Eastern spiritual ideas with Milarepa. This story was inspired by an old Tibetan text. It moves between the story of Milarepa, a mystic from the 11th century, and a young Westerner. Both characters are searching for knowledge and power. The famous director Pier Paolo Pasolini praised the film, calling it "truly beautiful."

The Night Porter (1974)

Liliana Cavani became widely known after her 1974 film The Night Porter (Il portiere di notte). This movie is set in Vienna in 1957. It tells the story of a former SS camp guard and a concentration camp survivor who meet again by chance. The film was very controversial. Some critics did not like it, but later, it was seen as an important film that explored the complex psychological effects of war. It starred Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling.

Beyond Good and Evil (1977)

In 1977, she made Beyond Good and Evil. This film showed the intense relationship between the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, his friend Paul Rée, and the Russian writer Lou Andreas-Salomé. They meet in Rome in 1882 and try to live their lives rejecting traditional morality. The film starred Dominique Sanda, Erland Josephson, and Robert Powell.

Directing Operas and Later Films

In 1979, Liliana Cavani started directing operas with Wozzeck in Florence. Since then, she has directed many operas for theaters across Europe. Some of her opera works include Iphigénie en Tauride (1984) and Medea (1986) in Paris. She also directed La vestale (1993) at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

The Skin (1981)

Her 1981 film, La Pelle (The Skin), was based on a novel by Curzio Malaparte. It was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. The film had many famous actors, including Marcello Mastroianni and Burt Lancaster. It is set during the American occupation of Naples in 1944, during World War II.

Beyond the Door (1982)

The 1982 film Beyond the Door (Oltre la porta) is set in North Africa. It follows a love triangle between an American oil worker, a young woman, and her stepfather. The film, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Tom Berenger, did not do well with audiences or critics.

The Berlin Affair (1985)

The Berlin Affair (1985) was loosely based on a novel by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. Set in Berlin in 1938, just before the war, the film tells the story of a German official and his wife. Both are drawn into a complex relationship with the young daughter of the Japanese Ambassador. This film continued Cavani's interest in unusual relationships. It was the third part of her trilogy of films set in Germany, which started with The Night Porter.

Francesco (1989)

With Francesco (1989), Liliana Cavani returned to the life of St. Francis of Assisi. This film starred American actor Mickey Rourke as Francis and English actress Helena Bonham-Carter as Chiara. The style of this film was quite different from Cavani's earlier works.

In the 1990s, Cavani focused more on directing operas and less on making movies. She directed three TV opera productions: Verdi's La Traviata (1992), Cavalleria rusticana (1996), and Puccini's Manon Lescaut (1998).

Where Are You? I'm Here (1993)

Where Are You? I'm Here (1993) tells the love story of Fausto and Elena, two deaf people from different backgrounds. He comes from a wealthy family, while she comes from a working-class family and works hard for her education. Set in modern Italy, this film explores themes of silence and feeling alone. Like many of Cavani's films, it includes dance.

Ripley's Game (2002)

In 2002, Cavani directed Ripley's Game. This film was based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith and was a follow-up to The Talented Mr. Ripley. Ripley's Game was shown at the Venice Film Festival.

The Order of Time (2023)

In 2023, Cavani directed The Order of Time. She wrote the screenplay with Paolo Costella and physicist Carlo Rovelli. The film was inspired by Rovelli's 2017 book of the same name. It tells the story of old friends gathering at a seaside villa who discover the world might be ending soon. The film premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, where Cavani received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The Order of Time was her first feature film in over 20 years. Liliana Cavani was 89 years old when she made it.

Personal Life

Liliana Cavani lives in Rome. Her hometown of Carpi has created the Associazione Fondo Liliana Cavani. This organization keeps her films safe and available for people to study.

Filmography as Director

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Liliana Cavani para niños

• List of female film and television directors
• List of LGBT-related films directed by women