Ettore Scola


Ettore Scola was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He received a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film in 1978 for his film A Special Day and over the course of his film career was nominated for five Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

Life and career

Scola was born in Trevico, Avellino, Campania. At age 15, he became a ghostwriter. He entered the film industry as a screenwriter in 1953 and collaborated with director Dino Risi and fellow writer Ruggero Maccari on the screenplay for Risi's feature, Il Sorpasso. He directed his first film, Let's Talk About Women, in 1964. In 1974, Scola enjoyed international success with We All Loved Each Other So Much, a wide fresco of post-World War II Italian life and politics, dedicated to fellow director Vittorio De Sica. The film won the Golden Prize at the 9th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1976, he won the Prix de la mise en scène at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival for Down and Dirty.
Scola made further successful films, including A Special Day, That Night In Varennes, What Time Is It? and Captain Fracassa's Journey. He directed close to 40 films in some 40 years. His film Passione d'amore, adapted from a 19th-century novel, was adapted by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine into the award-winning musical Passion. He was a member of the jury at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival..
A lifelong supporter of left-wing politics, Scola was part of the shadow cabinet of the Italian Communist Party in 1989 as Minister of Culture.
In 2009, Scola signed a petition in support of film director Roman Polanski, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in relation to his 1977 charge for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl.
Scola died in Rome on 19 January 2016 at the age of 84.

Filmography as director

Let's [Talk About Women] Thrilling Hard Time for Princes The Devil in Love Will Our Heroes Be Able to Find Their Friend Who Has Mysteriously Disappeared in Africa? Police Chief Pepe The Pizza Triangle My Name Is Rocco Papaleo The Most Wonderful Evening of My Life Trevico-Turin: Voyage in Fiatnam Festival Unità – documentaryWe All Loved Each Other So Much Goodnight, Ladies and Gentlemen Down and Dirty A Special Day La terrazza Passion of Love That Night in Varennes Vorrei che volo – documentaryLe Bal Macaroni Imago urbis – documentaryThe Family Splendor What Time Is It? Captain Fracassa's Journey Mario, Maria and Mario The Story of a Poor Young Man The Dinner Unfair Competition Un altro mondo è possibile – documentaryLettere dalla Palestina – documentaryGente di Roma How Strange to Be Named Federico – documentary

Awards