(May 8, 1906-June 3, 1977)
Born in Rome, Italy
Directed the films 'Rome, Open City' (1945), 'Paisa' (1946), 'Germany, Year Zero' (1947), 'L'Amore' (1948), 'Stromboli' (1949), 'The Flowers of St. Francis' (1950), 'Voyage to Italy' (1953), 'Joan of Arc at the Stake' (1954), 'General Della Rovere' (1957), 'The Betrayer' (1961) and 'The Messiah' (1977)
Married Ingrid Bergman (1950-57)
Father of Isabella Rossellini

He called spending 20 months in bed with influenza 'a period of extraordinary happiness' because of the pampering he received.
He seduced his girlfriend by holding a mock wedding with one of his friends posing as the priest.
His short film 'Prelude a l'apres-midi d'une Faune' was banned in Italy for indecency.
His first three feature films were propaganda for the Fascist government.
He and Bergman had their first child while they were both married to other people.
His marriage to Bergman broke up after he had an affair with an Indian screenwriter.

His father built the first cinema in Rome.
While directing Fascist propaganda films, he was simultaneously secretly filming documentary footage of anti-Mussolini resistance fighters.
'Open City' and 'Paisa' were key films in launching the neo-realist movement.
He cast non-professional actors in many of his roles.

Credit: C. Fishel

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