This brisk, engaging documentary surveys the life, work, and legacy of Vittorio Gassman, the Italian screen icon who began his illustrious career as a serious dramatic stage actor before going on to subvert that image in classic works of commedia all’italiana by Mario Monicelli (Big Deal on Madonna Street), Dino Risi (Il Sorpasso), and Ettore Scola (We All Loved Each Other So Much). Through a wealth of interviews, film clips, and archival footage, Sono Gassman! reveals how Gassman’s comedic screen persona cannily reflected and critiqued mid-20th-century Italian society, while shedding light on the complex inner life of the man himself.

Sono Gassman! - Vittorio re della commedia

Necessarily far from the spotlights, Monica Vitti shines in a light intact to the eyes of spectators at every latitude. On scene the artistic path and life full of unpredictable events of an actress both introverted and sunny are recalled, through excerpts from her films and television programs, testimonies of friends and colleagues, leading exponents of Italian cinema of yesterday and today, critics, writers and costume experts.

Vitti d'arte, Vitti d'amore

A sentimental journey through the life and career of Virna Lisi, the fascinating actress from the Marche region, who passed away in 2014 after working in cinema, theatre and television fiction for 50 years, through documents from the archives and previously unreleased interviews about an existence dedicated to her family. She abandoned Hollywood to return to her husband and son after three American films that were box-office hits, but continued to work in Italy and abroad, acting in auteur and genre films that highlighted her multifaceted talent as well as her fascination. Her beauty was frosty and aristocratic, sometimes experienced as an awkward label which she accepted however with serenity, and an innate sense of humour and grace that transpired in her very first film at the age of 14. «With that mouth she can say whatever she wants» was the slogan of a famous television ad. And Virna Lisi did in fact always say and do what she wanted, paving her way largely with her talent, often choosing to make herself look older, uglier and to take on difficult roles.