Cinema of Italy

The history of Italian cinema began a just few months after the Lumière brothers had discovered it, and it was precisely with a few seconds of film in which Pope Leo XIII was blessing the camera.

Early years

Italian industry was born between 1903 and 1908 with three companies: the Roman Cines, the Ambrosio of Turin and the Itala Film. Other companies would soon have followed in Milan and in Naples. In a short time these first companies reached a fair producing quality and films were soon sold outside Italy too.

Related Topics:
1903 - 1908 - Roman - Turin - Milan - Naples

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One of the first filoni (sub-genres) regarded the historical movies: the first work is Filoteo Alberini's La presa di Roma, 20 settembre 1870 (The Capture of Rome, September 20, 1870), of 1905. Other films described the facts of many famous historical names such as Nero, Messalina, Spartacus, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra. Ambrosio's Ultimi giorni di Pompei (1908 - The Last Days of Pompeii) soon became famous, and immediately was followed by a re-make by Caserini (1913). In the same year Guazzoni directed an appreciated Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

Related Topics:
1905 - Nero - Messalina - Spartacus - Julius Caesar - Cleopatra - 1908 - Pompeii - 1913 - Mark Antony

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Actresses Lyda Borelli and Francesca Bertini were the first "dive" (stars), specialised in passional tragedies. The last one, in reality, was the first "star" of cinema, and also the first actress to be filmed partly naked.

Related Topics:
Lyda Borelli - Francesca Bertini - Actress

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Other genres regarded social themes, often based on literary stories. In 1916 the film Cenere (Ash) was based on Grazia Deledda's book, and interpreted by the theatre actress Eleonora Duse (also famous as Gabriele D'Annunzio's lover).

Related Topics:
1916 - Grazia Deledda - Theatre - Eleonora Duse - Gabriele D'Annunzio

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