Toth Database - Cinema
Cesare Zavattini
Luzzara (Prov. Emilia Romagna), 20 September 1902 – Rome, 13 October 1989
He attended elementary schools first In Luzzara and then In Bergamo where he obtained his gymnasial licence. After Completing his studies he enrolled in the Law Faculty of the University of Parma, but his passion was writing, in 1928 he undertook a journalistic career in Parma, working for the Gazzetta di Parma.
In 1930 he moved to Milan and began collaborating with various newspapers, began a collaboration with a Roman magazine Marc'Aurelio, holding a column titled Fifty lines about.In 1936 he founded in Milan The Bertoldo, a satirical magazine Published by Rizzoli, of which he was also director, then Passed to Mondadori, where he took the position of editorial director. He Directed the Settebello humorous newspaper. Zavattini was a very critical author towards society, observed in its painful and humorous aspects, was a phenomenon in the Italian literature of the Twentieth century. In addition to the book we talk so much about me, we also remember the poor are crazy, I am the Devil, Toto the Good, Straparole. In 1939 he meets Vittorio De Sica, with whom he realizes a score of films, among which Sicuscià, Bicycle thieves, Miracle In Milan, Umberto D, Toto the good.
Zavattini was also author of comics and poet, cultural animator in Italy and abroad promoter of cultural cooperatives and film circles, he was also a painter.
Cartoonist Zavattini
Cesare Zavattini, a cartoonist, starts by chance. In 1936 he worked as editorial director at Disney Mondadori, one day his colleague Federico Pedrocchi asked him why he had never thought of creating a story. Pedrocchi himself offered to write it under dictation. Zavattini declared in an interview that at that time there were no stories and he, that of fantasy had, invented them; If some colleague of hers needed ideas, he was more than happy to give it to her. Zavattini's career includes, among other things, the creation of a cycle dedicated to "Saturn" with the screenplay by Pedrocchi and the drawings entrusted to Giovanni Scolari. In This first cartoonistic work, the author focuses on the sci-fi genre, already explored by American models. The Saturn episode against The Earth comes out for the first time in 1936 on the pages Of the Three Little Pigs, republished The following year on Mickey Mouse; In the following episodes is inserted the figure of Rebo, a ruthless dictator of Saturn, thinking to make it resemble Flash Gordon (character born from the ingenuity of Alex Raymond), but without success. Rebo, aided by fellow traitor Leducq, try to wage war against earth, but will come to grips with the inventions of Marcus and his assistant Cyrus, two scientists.
The character Rebo was quoted by other cartoonists. Zavattini shows great ability to evade the canons ' patriotic, heroic and romantic» of the regime, hiding behind stories seemingly crude and manifesting at the same time a spirit of pacifism and an invitation to the cooperation of peoples.
But his cartoonistic commitment is not confined to the Star Wars with Saturn: he creates subjects for other stories, always scripted by Pedrocchi. Airport Z, not written but probably conceived by him, is published In Mickey Mouse; Here the drawings are entrusted to Kurt Caesar, known in Italy under the nickname of Cesare Avai. In 1937 for Zorro in the Metropolis (16 episodes published All in 1937) The screenwriter is Guido Martina and the illustration is entrusted to Walter Molino; To host the comics are the pages of Donald Duck. This narrative is a critique of the exploitation of work and the dominant alienation in the life of the big cities. Pier Lorenzo De Vita illustrates the red Primrose Of The Risorgimento published in 1938-39 Always on Donald Duck; In the two episodes the company of seven Published in Mickey'S almanac in 1938, Zavattini called the various characters with the names of his children.
In 1947 Zavattini for the first time signed one of his works: sci-fi a man against the world, Scripted By Mario Gentilini (Editor of Mickey Mouse magazine), Designed By Giovanni Scolari.
Filmography
1935/ I'll give a million, directed by Mario Camerini
1940/ St. John Took off, directed by Hamlet palermi
1940/ An impossible family, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
1941/ A woman fell, directed by Alfredo Guarini
1941/ Teresa Friday, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1941/ The school of the timid, directed by Carlo Ludovico bragaglia
1942/ 4 steps in the Clouds,directed by Alessandro Blaxetti
1942/ Fourth page,directed by Nicola Manzari
1943/ Pap's Baker, directed by Raffaello Matarazzo
1943/ There is always a ma!, directed by Luigi Zampa
1943/ Novel A Dance Step, directed by Giancarlo Cappelli
1943/ The children look at us, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1944/ The door of Heaven, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1945/ Canto, but softly, directed by Guido brignone
1945/ The arrow in the side, directed by Alberto Lattuada
1946/ Biraghin, directed by Carmine Gallone
1946/ One day in life, directed by diAlessandro Blasetti
1946/ Sciuscià, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1946/ The poor husband,directed by Gaetano Amata
1946/ The Angel and the Devil, directed by Mario Camerini
1946/ The world wants so, directed by Giorgio Bianchi
1946/ Rome Free City, directed by Marcello Pagliero
1947/ Tragic Hunting, directed by Giuseppe De Santis
1948/ Bicycle thieves, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1949/ Twenty years, directed by Giorgio Bianchi
1949/ The Walls Of Malapaga,directed by Renè Clèment
1950/ The sky is Red, directed by Claudio Gora
1950/ It's easier than a camel....., directed by Luigi Zampa
1950/ First Communion, directed by Alessandro Blasetti
1950/ Miracle In Milan, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1951/ Beautiful, directed by Luchino Visconti
1951/ My Goodness, what an impression!, directed by Roberto Savarese
1952/ 5 poor by car,directed by Mario Mattoli
1952/ The coat, directed by Alberto Lattuada
1952/ Rome 11 o'clock, directed by Giuseppe De Santis
1952/ Umberto D, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1952/ Good morning, elephant!,directed by Gianni Franciolini
1953/ A husband For Anna Zaccheo, directed by Giuseppe De Santis
1953/ Termini Station, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1953/ We are women, various directors
1953/ The Walk, directed by Renato rascel
1953/ Love In The city, various directors
1953/ The crooked horse directed by Giulio Morelli
1953/ Forbidden Women, directed by Giuseppe Amato
1953/ Rained from the Sky, directed by Leonardo De Mitri
1954/ Alì babà, directed by Jacques Becker (1954/
1954/ The Gold Of Naples, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1955/ The Roof, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1960/ The Ciociara, directed byVittorio De Sica
1960/ Rat (The War), directed by Veljko Bulajić
1960/ Il hit man, directed by Damiano Damiani
1961/ The Last Judgement, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1961/ The long green Sock, directed by Roberto Gavioli
1961/ Italian and Love, various directors
1962/ Boccaccio ' 70, episode La Raffle, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1962/ The kidnappings Of Altona, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1963/ Il boom, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1963/ Yesterday, today, tomorrow, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1964/ Italian Wedding, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1965/ A New World, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1966/ Fox Hunting, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1967/ The Witches, episode one evening like the others, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1967/ Seven Times Woman, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1968/ Amanti, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1969/ Sunflowers, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1972/ We'll call Him Andrea, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1973/ A short holiday, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1974/ The Journey, directed by Vittorio De Sica
1982/ The truth, directed by Cesare Zavattini
Prizes and awards
Silver Ribbons
The Roof
First Communion
It's spring....
Bicycle Thieves
Academy Award Nomination
Sciuscià
Bicycle Thieves