Happy 89th Birthday, Paolo Taviani! Born today in 1931, this Italian screenwriter and film director, along with his older brother Vittorio, collaborated in productions of note.
Born two years after his brother Vittorio in San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy, the brothers, years later, decided to become filmmakers in the mid-1940s.
They had walked into a movie theater called Cinema Italia, which no longer exists. It was here that they saw a screening of Roberto Rossellini's 1946 Italian neorealist black and white war/drama film 'Paisan'.
Post-viewing, the film had spoken to the brothers on such a deep level that they knew that this is what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives.
The brothers, however, began their careers as journalists. In 1960 they came to the world of cinema in co-directing with Dutch documentary filmmaker and propagandist Joris Ivens ('A Tale of the Wind').
This was for Ivens' Italian black and white documentary film 'L'Italia non è un paese povero' ('Italy Is Not a Poor Country').
Two years later, the brothers went on to direct two films with Italian film director Valentino Orsini.
'A Man for Burning' (1962) was the brother's first feature. It was not only by Orsini, but by the brothers as well. 'Outlaws of Love' (1963) was the second and last film by Orsini and the brothers.
They first autonomous film came four years later, with which the brothers anticipated the events of 1968. With Italian actor Gian Maria Volonté, the brothers gained attention two years later.
This was with the 1969 Italian Eastmancolor drama/fantasy film 'Sotto il segno dello scorpione' ('Under the Sign of Scorpio').
Upon viewing, one can see the echoes of Benjamin Brecht, Jean-Luc Godard, and Pier Paolo Pasolini.
In 1971, the brothers co-signed the media campaign against then-Italian police officer and Italian State Police official in Milan Luigi Calabresi, published in the Italian weekly news magazine L'espresso.
The following year, Calabresi's murder triggered a wave of political violence.
In the brother's 1974 Italian drama/history film 'Allonsanfàn', Marcello Mastroianni stars in the lead role set to the score by Ennio Morricone.
Three years later, the brother's next film was the 1977 Italian drama film 'Padre Padrone' ('Father and Master'). The film went on to win the Palme d'Or at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in May of that same year.
Five years later, Paolo co-wrote and co-directed the film of which he and his brother are best known.
This was the 1982 Italian fantasy war/drama film 'La Notte di San Lorenzo' ('The Night of San Lorenzo' or 'The Night of the Shooting Stars'). It was a semi-autobiographical recollection of the Taviani brothers.
Set in the summer of 1944 during World War II, a group of residents from their home village of San Miniato in Tuscany find themselves caught in the bloody struggle between retreating Nazi forces, stubborn fascists, local partisans and the incoming U.S. forces.
According to instructions, those who remain behind seek shelter in the church and fall victim to a retaliatory strike by the Germans.
The refugees live through all stages of hope and despair along the way in the Tuscan landscape and are confronted with Italian fascists in a legendary sequence.
During this, the group of villagers, including love-struck Galvano (Omero Antonutti) and his dream girl, Concetta (Margarita Lozano), opt to leave their village and search for American troops.
The story, set in part during a Tuscan celebration, is told from the point of view of six-year-old Cecilia (Micol Guidelli).
The film went on to be awarded the Jury Special Grand Prix at the 35th Cannes Film Festival in May that same year. It also pulled an upset by being voted the best film of the year by the National Society of Film Critics.
One year later, the film was also selected by Italy as its entry for the Best Foreign Language Film. However, it was not accepted as an Oscar nominee. This occurred at the 55th Academy Awards in mid-April 1983.
Three months later, 'The Night of the Shooting Stars' was nominated for ten David di Donatello awards, but won five for Best Film, Best Director, Best Producer, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. This occurred at the 27th David di Donatello Awards in early July 1983.
'The Night of the Shooting Stars' had captivated more than eight thousand people on an unforgettable evening in Locarno's Piazza Grande with its cinematic magic and message of peace.
The film is in and of itself an historical film in the sense that it tells of a bygone era.
Through the fairytale-like-mythical and melodramatic exaggerations, the Taviani brothers make the story stand out from the merely historical.
They allow the film through the wonderful figure of the girl to acquire universal expressiveness. This is a peace film of elementary sensuality and power.
American film critic for The New Yorker Pauline Kael wrote, "The Night of the Shooting Stars is so good it's thrilling.
This new film encompasses a vision of the world. Comedy, tragedy, vaudeville, melodrama - they're all here, and inseparable [...]
In its feeling and completeness, Shooting Stars may be close to the rank of Jean Renoir's bafflingly beautiful Grand Illusion...unreality doesn't seem divorced from experience (as it does with Fellini) - its experience made more intense [...]
For the Tavianis, as for Cecilia, the search for the American liberators is the time of their lives. For an American audience, the film stirs warm but tormenting memories of a time when we were beloved and were a hopeful people."
In the early 2010s, the Taviani brother's 2012 Italian drama/docudrama film 'Cesare deve morire' ('Caesar Must Die') won the Golden Bear. This occurred at the 62nd Berlin Film Festival in February 2012.
The following year, the film was also selected as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar. However, it did not make the final shortlist. This occurred at the 85th Academy Awards in later February 2013.
According to Paolo's personal life, he is currently married to Italian costume designer and production designer Lina Nerli Taviani. She has assisted the brothers regarding the wardrobe department throughout their careers.
It was along with his younger brother that both combined the social concerns and documentary effects of neorealism with modernist concerns for outstanding, often poetic, visual and aural effects.
The Taviani brothers are considered to be among the most important Italian directors.
Taviani has been active from 1962–present.
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