Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica (7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Italian cinema, and his films have been praised for their realism, humanism, and social commentary.
Early life and career
De Sica was born in Sora, Lazio, Italy. He began his career as an actor in silent films in the early 1920s. He made his directorial debut in 1940 with the film Rose scarlatte (Scarlet Roses). The film was a critical and commercial success, and it helped to establish De Sica as a major figure in Italian cinema.
Neorealism
De Sica is best known for his neorealist films, which he made in the post-World War II period. Neorealism was a movement in Italian cinema that sought to depict the everyday lives of ordinary people in a realistic and unsentimental way. De Sica's neorealist films include Shoeshine (1946), Bicycle Thieves (1948), and Umberto D. (1952). These films were all critical and commercial successes, and they helped to establish neorealism as a major force in world cinema.
Later career
In the 1950s and 1960s, De Sica continued to make films in a variety of genres, including comedies, dramas, and musicals. Some of his most notable films from this period include Miracle in Milan (1951), The Roof (1956), and Two Women (1960). De Sica also directed several English-language films, including Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953), Stazione Termini (1953), and The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970).
Legacy
De Sica died in Rome, Italy, in 1974. He is considered one of the most important figures in the history of Italian cinema, and his films have been praised for their realism, humanism, and social commentary. De Sica's films have been remade and adapted by directors all over the world, and they continue to be watched and enjoyed by audiences today.
Awards and honors
De Sica won numerous awards for his work, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for Bicycle Thieves (1948) and Two Women (1960). He also won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Shoeshine (1946) and Umberto D. (1952). In 1956, he was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for The Roof. De Sica was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director four times, for Shoeshine (1946), Bicycle Thieves (1948), Umberto D. (1952), and Two Women (1960).
Filmography
- Rose scarlatte (Scarlet Roses) (1940)
- Maddalena... zero in condotta (1940)
- Teresa Venerdì (1941)
- Un garibaldino al convento (1942)
- I bambini ci guardano (The Children Are Watching Us) (1943)
- La porta del cielo (The Gateway to Heaven) (1945)
- Sciuscià (Shoeshine) (1946)
- Ladri di biciclette (Bicycle Thieves) (1948)
- Miracolo a Milano (Miracle in Milan) (1951)
- Umberto D. (1952)
- Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953)
- Stazione Termini (1953)
- L'oro di Napoli (The Gold of Naples) (1954)
- La ciociara (Two Women) (1960)
- Il giardino dei Finzi-Contini (The Garden of the Finzi-Continis) (1970)
- Lo chiameremo Andrea (We'll Call Him Andrea) (1972)
- Una breve vacanza (A Brief Vacation) (1973)
- Il viaggio (The Voyage) (1974)
