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
Nationality	Italian
Alma mater	University of Bologna (1959)
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter
Years active	1961–present

Liliana Cavani (born January 12, 1933) is a famous Italian film director and screenwriter. She became known around the world after her 1974 movie, The Night Porter. Her films often explore important historical events and ideas. Besides making movies and documentaries, she has also directed operas.

Early Life and Education

Liliana Cavani was born in Carpi, a town near Modena in Italy. Her father was an architect who loved taking her to museums. He was interested in how cities are planned. Her mother loved movies and took Liliana to see them every Sunday.

Liliana's mother's family were strong opponents of fascism, a political movement. Her grandfather, who supported workers' rights, introduced her to the ideas of thinkers like Karl Marx.

Cavani studied literature at the University of Bologna. She finished her degree in 1960. She first wanted to be an archeologist, but she soon decided to follow her passion for filmmaking. She went to a famous film school in Rome called the "Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia." There, she learned how to make documentaries. She made two short films: Incontro notturno (1961) about friendship, and L'evento (1962) about tourists.

Film Career Highlights

Starting with Documentaries (1961–1965)

While at film school, Cavani won a competition to work at RAI, Italy's national TV network. She started directing historical documentaries there in 1961.

Her early documentaries included:

• Storia del III Reich (History of the Third Reich) (1962–1963): This was the first TV show to explore the rise of the Nazi regime in Germany.
• L'età di Stalin ("The Stalin Years"): This looked into the time when Joseph Stalin led the Soviet Union.
• Philippe Pétain, processo a Vichy (1965): This film won an award called the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

Francis of Assisi (1966)

In 1966, Cavani made her first full-length movie, Francis of Assisi (Francesco d'Assisi). It was made for TV and shown in two parts. The film showed Francis of Assisi as a kind of rebel. It was very popular but also caused strong reactions. Some people thought it was disrespectful to faith.

Galileo (1968)

Her next film, Galileo (1968), was about the conflict between science and religion in the 1600s. It showed Galileo Galilei clashing with the church because he believed in proving truth with experiments. The film was originally for TV but was not allowed to be shown because some thought it was against the church. However, it was later released in movie theaters.

The Guest (1971)

Cavani's film L’ospite (The Guest; 1971) explored social and psychological topics. It was about a writer and a woman who was trying to get back into society after being in a special hospital for her mind. The film was shown at the Venice Film Festival.

Milarepa (1973)

In 1973, Cavani made Milarepa, which explored Eastern spiritual ideas. The story was inspired by an old Tibetan text. It moved between the story of Milarepa, a spiritual leader from the 11th century, and a young Westerner. Both characters were searching for knowledge and power.

The Night Porter (1974)

Cavani became famous worldwide with her 1974 film The Night Porter (Il portiere di notte). This movie is still the one she is most remembered for. Set in Vienna in 1957, it tells a difficult and controversial story about people who were involved in a war. The film starred Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling. While some critics in America did not like it, many in Europe saw it as an important film that explored the complex effects of war.

Beyond Good and Evil (1977)

In 1977, she made Beyond Good and Evil. This film was about the intense relationships between the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, his friend Paul Rée, and the Russian writer Lou Andreas-Salomé. This film also caused some debate.

Around this time, Cavani also started directing operas. She has directed many operas for theaters across Europe.

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 movie had many famous actors, including Marcello Mastroianni and Burt Lancaster. It was set during the American occupation of Naples in 1944, during World War II.

The Berlin Affair (1985)

The Berlin Affair (Interno berlinese), made in 1985, was based on a novel called Quicksand. This film continued Cavani's interest in unusual relationships. It was the third film in a series with a German setting, following The Night Porter and Beyond Good and Evil.

Francesco (1989)

With Francesco (1989), Liliana Cavani returned to the life of St Francis of Assisi. This time, American actor Mickey Rourke played Francis, and English actress Helena Bonham Carter played Chiara.

In the 1990s, Cavani spent more time directing operas and less time making movies. She also directed three TV opera productions.

Where Are You? I'm Here (1993)

Where Are You? I'm Here (1993) tells the love story of Fausto and Elena, two young people who are deaf but come from different backgrounds. The film explores themes of silence and feeling alone.

Ripley's Game (2002)

In 2002, Cavani directed Ripley's Game, based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith. It was shown at the Venice Film Festival.

Liliana Cavani lives in Rome today. Her hometown of Carpi has created a special association, the Associazione Fondo Liliana Cavani, where her films are kept and can be studied.

Filmography as Director

Awards

See also

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