Franco Zeffirelli

Gianfranco Corsi (born February 12, 1923), better known as Franco Zeffirelli, is an Italian film director. He is also an opera director, designer and producer of opera, theatre, motion pictures, and television. Zeffirelli has also been a member of the Italian senate since 1996, representing the Forza Italia party.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zeffirelli was born and grew up in Florence, in contact with a group of British expatriates who inspired his 1999 film Tea With Mussolini. During the second world war he fought as a partisan before he met up with the British soldiers of the 1st Scots Guards and became their interpreter. In the post war years, he studied art and architecture at the University of Florence, and worked with directors such as Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini and Luchino Visconti. In the 1960's, he made his name designing and directing his own plays in London and New York, and soon transferred his ideas to cinema.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A known anglophile, in November 2004 he was awarded an honorary knighthood by the United Kingdom, the first Italian citizen to receive the honour. In 1999 received the Crystal Globe award for outstanding artistic contribution to world cinema at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

February 12: February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 322 days remaining, 323 in leap years....

1923: 1923 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar)....

Italian: Italian may refer to:...

Franco Zeffirelli related Images and Photos (experimental)

Stage and Film Director Franco Zeffirelli Sitting on Big Leather Sofa Beside Actor Leigh Lawson	James Franco	Franco-Prussian Christmas	Von Franco Eye Gone Wild Model Kit
Franco Harris - Rushing With Ball (B&W)	Francisco Franco Spanish Dictator and Soldier	Episode from the Franco-Prussian War 1875	Fabrizi Franco and Silvana Papanini in "Racconti Romani" by Gianni Franciolini 1955
General Franco's 'Blue' Division Fights Alongside the Germans on the Russian Front	Prussian Army Crossing the Loire River at Orleans Franco-Prussian War c.1871