Elvira Notari | the complex history of women filmmakers
Coming to Studio 74 at Exeter Phoenix is a fascinating documentary that looks at the life and work of silent film pioneer Elvira Notari, often considered Italy’s first female director.
The screening is hosted by the Italian Cultural Association Exeter and will include an introduction and post-screening Q&A with the film’s director, Valerio Ciriaci, and producer, Antonella Di Nocera.
Film fans
The film is the perfect watch if you’re a fan of early cinema, or if you’re interested in the complex history of women filmmakers.
Profound influence
Very little remains of Elvira Notari’s filmography, just 163 minutes in total, with the rest of her substantial body of work lost, but her profound influence on cinema continues today.
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Notari’s films often centred around the lives of women and included themes that were considered controversial at the time.
Rediscovered
The films faced heavy censorship from Mussolini’s fascist regime for their subject-matter as well as for their realistic depiction of life in Naples at the time. Her work is now being rediscovered after spending decades in obscurity.
Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence creates an in-depth portrait of the filmmaker combining historical accounts and modern interpretations. The film brings Notari’s work back into the public eye and reinstates her as a important figure in the history of cinema.
Elvira Notari. Beyond Silence with director Valerio Ciriaci and producer Antonella Di Nocera is at Studio 74, the Exeter Phoenix on Mon 4 May. Get your tickets
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