The typical stories of four great heroes of the 20th century – director Lena Wertmüller, opera singer Maria Callas, entrepreneur Wanda Ferragamo and actress Franca Valeri – are at the center of the new season of “Illuminate”, a four-episode documentary series produced by Anele in collaboration with Rai Cultura On air from Monday 2nd January at 11.20pm on Rai 3. Drawing on the real and personal vocations of the actresses – the four narrators – Michela Andreuzzi, Silvia D’Amico, Anna Valli and Emanuela Fanelli – and intersect cinematic narratives, archival documents, first-hand testimonies, biographies and the most important choices for the four heroes.
In the first episode, Michela Andreuzzi, through the use of a narrative trick, plays the role of a director who explores the life and career of Lina Wertmüller, the most famous Italian director in the world, capable of revolutionizing Italian cinema by talking about the social, political and sexual aspects. In an ugly and comic way. Next, Silvia D’Amico prepares to deliver a theatrical monologue inspired by Maria Callas, tracing the artist’s great experience and the constant struggle between her spirituality: the woman and the singer, her artistic and physical transformation, and the constant work that she had to do on herself to make the “public body” of the artist “coexist with” a person’s own body. On the other hand, Ana Valli plays the role of the perfect character Landa Ferragamo in a documentary film that presents on the screen her talent as an exceptional entrepreneur, her modesty and moral rigor, while Emanuela Vanilli, who is passionate about the comic theater, narrates the life of Franca Valeri, and as she prepares to present one of her drawings, she traces the path of the woman who She revolutionized the world of entertainment and broke taboos on female comedy.
Among the many illustrious witnesses who have made their invaluable contributions to the story are many friends, family and colleagues from the worlds of art, culture and entertainment. Lena Wertmüller, Claudia Gerini, Anna Milato, their daughter, Maria Zulema, actor and grandson Massimo Wertmüller, journalist Laura Delle Colli, director and collaborator Valerio Ruiz, sociologist and friend Domenico De Masi, decorator and assistant husband Virginia Vianello For Maria Callas, biographer and collector that belong to the singer Michele Nocera, the soprano Cellini Zanetti, the head of the archives of the Zeffirelli Foundation Caterina d’Amico, the conductors Massimiliano Stefanelli, Enrico Stenchelli and Michele Suzzo, the authors and the radio speakers; about Wanda Ferragamo and Carlo Conte, her daughter Giovanna Ferragamo, her grandchildren Ginevra Visconti and Diego di San Giuliano, museum director and Ferragamo Foundation Stefania Ricci, journalist and fashion critic Mariella Milani and historical valet Silvano; About Franca Valerie her daughter Stefania Bonfadelli, actresses Cinzia Leone, Gabriella Franchini, director of the Parenti Theater in Milan Andre Roth Shamma, director and TV presenter Pino Strabioli, director and artistic director Giorgio Ferrara and his girlfriend Michelle Della Valle. The story also unfolds through visits to the places that served as a backdrop for the events of the four protagonists: from Palazzo Spini Feroni in Florence, seat of Wanda Ferragamo’s company, to her home in Fiesole, in the Florentine countryside, from Lake Bracciano, the place where Franca Valeri lived, in the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia to tell the story of Lina Wertmüller down to Verona, Sirmione and the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza to tell the story of Maria Callas.
“Illuminate” is produced by Anele in collaboration with Rai Cultura. Documentary series in four episodes produced by Gloria Giorgani and directed by Marco Spagnoli (Lina Wertmüller), Matteo Raffaelli (Maria Callas), Margherita Ferri (Wanda Ferragamo) and Maria Iovine (Franca Valeri). Co-producers: Tore Sansonetti and Carlotta Schininà.
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