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.

Related Topics:
February 12 - 1923 - Italian - Film director - Opera director - Opera - Television - Forza Italia

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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.

Related Topics:
Florence - British - Tea With Mussolini - Scots Guards - University of Florence - Vittorio De Sica - Roberto Rossellini - Luchino Visconti - London - New York

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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.

Related Topics:
Anglophile - Honorary knighthood - Crystal Globe - Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

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