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1-50 of 93
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Maria Grazia Cucinotta (born 27 July 1968) is an Italian actress who has featured in many films and television series since 1990. She has also worked as a producer, screenwriter and model. Cucinotta was born in Messina, Province of Messina, Sicily, Italy. She is well known in Italy as a movie and television actress, but internationally she is best known for her roles in Il Postino and as the Bond girl, credited as the Cigar Girl, in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.- Francesca Chillemi was born and raised in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto in the province of Messina on the Italian island of Sicily, where she graduated from a high school specializing in classical studies. In 2003, she left her hometown to participate in the Miss Italia beauty contest, which she won at only 18 years old. After that success, she worked as a model and a television presenter. She started working as an actress with minor roles in 2004, and her breakthrough role was that of Laura Flestero in the TV series Carabinieri (2002). She is best known for the roles of Azzurra Leonardi in Che Dio ci aiuti (2011) and Viola Vitale in Viola (2022). Besides that, she had main or supporting roles in more than a dozen movies and TV series, including a supporting role in the international production of Leonardo. Along with her acting career, she has collaborations with major brands, such as Bulgari, Patrizia Pepe, Alberta Ferretti, Michael Kors, Guerlain, Givenchy, Biopoint and others.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Sicilian born actor/writer/director was very popular with European audiences, but largely unknown to the west apart from his portrayal of the villainous SPECTRE agent "Emilio Largo" in the spectacular James Bond film Thunderball (1965). However, due to his heavy accent, Celi's voice was dubbed by Robert Rietty. Two years later Celi popped up in the appalling James Bond spoof Operation Kid Brother (1967) starring Neil Connery brother of Sean Connery.
Additional to his many film appearances in Italian productions, Celi spent many years on stage in South America to very positive reviews, and directed three films made in South America, Caiçara (1950), Tico-Tico no fuba (1952)_ and L'Alibi (1969)_.
He passed away on February 19th 1986 from a heart attack.- Giuseppe Sulfaro was born on 7 October 1984 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor, known for Malena (2000), Don Matteo (2000) and Enas iroas... sti Romi (2006).
- Anna Maria Kanakis was born on February 1, 1962 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. The daughter of a Greek father and a Sicilian mother, Kanakis was an avid reader while growing up. Anna was elected Miss Volcano at age fifteen after she was discovered going wild on a dance floor in Volcano Island where she was on holiday with her mother and sister. Kanakis went on to be crowned Miss Italy for the year 1977 a few weeks later. Anna subsequently worked as a catwalk model for various famous Italian stylists prior to eventually embarking on an acting career that started in the early 1980's and continued up until 2007.
- Tina Scala was born on 16 July 1935 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. She was an actress, known for Midnight Cowboy (1969), Capone (1975) and How's Your Love Life? (1971). She died on 10 January 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Antonino Bruschetta was born on 6 January 1962 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor and writer, known for Visioni private (1989), To Rome with Love (2012) and Boris (2007).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Tano Cimarosa was born on 1 January 1922 in Messina, Italy. He was an actor and director, known for Cinema Paradiso (1988), Uomini di parola (1981) and La sarrasine (1992). He died on 24 May 2008 in Messina, Sicily, Italy.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Mario Landi was born on 12 October 1920 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was a director and writer, known for Siamo tutti Milanesi (1953), Maigret à Pigalle (1966) and Supersexymarket (1979). He died on 18 March 1992 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Comedian, actor, host, TV personality, Nino Frassica, born Antonio Frassica, debuted on TV with Renzo Arbore as part of the cast of cult shows like "Quelli della notte" and "Indietro tutta". He later appeared in many other TV shows like "Fantastico", "Domenica In", "Scommettiamo che?", "Uno due tre stella", "Stracult", "Dopo fiction", "Adrian", "Amici", and he became a lead figure on "Che tempo che fa". At the same time, he appeared on big and small screens in many movies and TV movies. After his cinema debut in "Il Bi e il Ba", he appeared in many films, even international ones. To name a few: "Mortacci", "Vacanze di Natale", "Miracolo italiano", "L'abbuffata", "Baaria", "Somewhere", "The tourist", "La scomparsa di Patò", "Workers", "Sei mai stata sulla luna", Un milione di giorni", "Non è un paese per giovani", "Natale a Londra - Dio salvi la Regina", "Genitori vs influencer", "Improvvisamente Natale", "L'estate più calda". He also starred in many TV series, such as: "SPQR", "Don Matteo" as the legendary Officer Cecchini, "La crociera", "Il destino ha quattro zampe", "Nati ieri", "Butta la luna", "L'ultimo padrino", "Donne", "Complimenti per la connessione", "La mafia uccide solo d'estate", "Fratelli Caputo". His multi-faceted career includes experiences in radio, theater, and ads. And even as a writer. In 1986 he wrote the book "Sani Gesualdi", a best-seller for many weeks. After that he wrote "Il Terzesimo Libro di Sani Gesualdi", "Il manovale del bravo presentatore", and "Come diventare maghi in 15 minuti". In 2014 he published "La mia autobiografia 70% vera, 80% falsa", in 2018 "Novella Bella", and in 2022 "Paola. Una storia vera".- Composer
- Music Department
- Actor
One of the great arrangers of the Big Band era, Sicilian-born Peter Rugolo was five years old when his family moved to Santa Rosa, California. He attended San Francisco College and in the 1930's studied composition under the classical composer Darius Milhaud. After military service in World War II, he joined Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, where he contributed numerous distinctive arrangements and compositions. He had a critical influence on the progressive image of the band, which sounded unlike any other in the business. Rugolo and Kenton formed a very close personal friendship, akin to that of Duke Ellington and his arranger Billy Strayhorn.
In 1949, Pete became musical director at Capitol records , where he produced recording sessions with big name jazz stars, including Miles Davis (he came up with the title of Davis's ground-breaking album "The Birth of the Cool"), Charlie Parker, Nat 'King' Cole and Peggy Lee. He continued a part-time collaboration with Kenton and also arranged for Kenton's former star vocalist June Christy (her "Something Cool" album).
The 1950's were a busy decade for Rugolo. He briefly fronted his own band in 1954, featuring Patti Page as his vocalist. He also had contractual affiliations first with Columbia Records and then with Mercury Records, writing, among others, for Sarah Vaughan. By that time, he had branched out into musical genres other than jazz. At MGM, he was employed as a staff composer/arranger on a number of musicals, including Kiss Me Kate (1953) and Easy to Love (1953). From there he went on to prolific television work, writing the jazzy theme scores for popular crime shows like The Fugitive (1963) and The Outsider (1968), as well as westerns (Alias Smith and Jones (1971)) and numerous TV movies. He was nominated for six Emmy Awards, of which he won three. Retiring in 1985, Rugolo was honoured in 1993 by receiving the Golden Score Award from the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers.- Lorenzo Crespi was born on 13 August 1971 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor, known for Porzûs (1997), Black Holes (1995) and Il ventre di Maria (1992).
- Tania Bambaci was born on 11 August 1990 in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Messina, Sicily, Italy. She is an actress, known for The Goldsmith (2022), Maltese - Il Romanzo del Commissario (2017) and The Perfect Husband (2014).
- Writer
- Actor
Marco Borromei was born on 20 April 1986 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is a writer and actor, known for Blocco 181 (2022), P.O.E. Poetry of Eerie (2011) and SKAM Italia (2018).- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Vincenzo Tripodo was born in 1968 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for Kindsein (1994), Little Distractions (2004) and Heart of Spider (2004).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Febo Mari was born on 18 January 1884 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was an actor and director, known for Casa di bambola (1919), Cenere (1917) and Tormento (1917). He was married to Nietta Mordeglia. He died on 6 June 1939 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Stella Egitto was born on 6 October 1987 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. She is an actress, known for Romanzo siciliano (2016), Malarazza: una storia di periferia (2017) and Code: Karim (2021).
- Irene Muscarà was born in Messina, Sicily. She found her passion in acting at an early age, performing her first roles in the living room of her family house. In her teens, she participated in shows at the school theater and became interested in Stanislavki's system and Russian theater. Her interest was so strong that when she was 22, she moved to Moscow, Russia, to study cinema and theater acting at the Russian State Theater Academy. Her first outstanding role in theater was during her college years in Incredibly Loud And Extremely Close, a play inspired by J.S. Foer and directed by A. Shlyapin, which went on to tour in Los Angeles. Also there came out The Invention Of Love, a play by Tom Stoppard that was directed by A. Kuzmin-Tarasov, where Irene took the role of Professor Pattinson. When Tom Stoppard watched the play, he deeply appreciated the original interpretation of the character in the spirited performance of Irene. After graduating from the Academy in 2012, Irene inspired the production of Look At Me, a documentary by Anna Kolchina on the life of a young Italian actress in Moscow. It was awarded Best Film by the Documentary Film Festival in Saint Petersburg, after which the film traveled to NYC for the Russian Documentary Film Festival at the Tribeca Cinemas, winning the Special Jury prize. In 2013, Irene acted in the film The Calculator alongside Vinnie Jones. That year, she also played Producer Ornella, the villain in The Heritage, a period drama TV-series directed by A. Kasatkin. In 2015, Irene created a solo performance called Gate A 33, at the center of which stands the destiny of an old Russian woman waiting for her flight at an NYC airport. Irene won Best Actress for this work at the United Solo Festival in NYC. In 2018, Irene created a new one-woman show, Five Sisters, inspired by five female characters from A. P. Chekhov's plays. In 2019, she played the character of Prosperina in the HBO TV miniseries I Know This Much Is True, directed by Derek Cianfrance.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Antonio Passalia was born on 13 June 1926 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was an actor and producer, known for Caligula et Messaline (1981), The Cry of the Owl (1987) and The Bridesmaid (2004). He died on 6 July 2016 in Suresnes, Hauts-De-Seine, France.- Director
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Simone Tringali was born on December 22, 1995 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is a director and producer, known for Follow (2018), Dispatcher (2021) and About Me (2017).
He started directing his first short films with an old camera at the age of 10. One of his early productions was La Perla Lunare (2009) a stop-motion short film that was selected and screened at the Sottodiciotto Film Festival of Turin, Italy. In 2011, at the age of 16, he directed his first documentary called, Alì Terme, fra storia e attualità (2011) after that he made La storia di Lilly (2011) which was awarded a special mention at the Festival Cinema Giovane in Pistoia, Italy. In 2012 he also directed Society's Cage (2012) which was also selected for screening at the Cinema Massimo in Turin for Sottodiciotto Film Festival.
In 2013 he wrote, produced and co-directed the short film The Man's Whistle (2013) that was followed by some public events in the city of Turin, Italy. Later in 2013, he worked with Fiorita Officina for the production of several TV commercials. He also took the role of second unit director for the Los Angeles Web Fest award-winning TV series The Ushers: A Dark Tale of a Bright Night (2013) by Andrea Galatà and Chiara De Caroli. In the same year, produced and directed several music videos such as Oltre I Tuoi Passi.
In 2014, Simone also directed his second documentary Arignano Lake (2014) about Lake Arignano, an artificial lake in the small village of Arignano near Turin, where he spent most of his childhood. This film allowed him to graduate from the Albe Steiner Institute of Turin.
In 2017 he worked along with Federico Mottica, on the role of first assistant director in the production of the short film Mia Moglie (2017).
In the academic year, 2016-2017 Simone taught photography at the Des Ambrois Institute in Oulx, Turin.
He later moved to Dublin, Ireland and started his studies of BA [Hons] degree in Film and Television Production at Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (The National Film School) graduating with First Class Honors in 2021.
During his four years at the National Film School, he directed and produced several short films, including Dispatcher (2021), Narciso (2020), Backlight (2018), Follow (2018) and About Me (2017).
With his film Follow (2018), Simone won the second-place award for the Best Science Fiction at the Down East Flick Fest in North Carolina in 2020. Follow (2018) was also selected as a finalist at the Carnival of Darkness: The Haunted Pamlico Film Festival in North Carolina (2020) and at Los Angeles CineFest, California (2018). It was also awarded the semi-finalist place at the Lisbon Film Rendezvous in Portugal in 2019.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Adua Del Vesco was born on 26 November 1992 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. She is an actress, known for Non è stato mio figlio (2016), Sapore di te (2014) and Furore: Il vento della speranza (2014).- Fabrizio Falco was born on 20 August 1988 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor, known for Dormant Beauty (2012), It Was the Son (2012) and Wondrous Boccaccio (2015).
- Marina La Rosa was born on 21 January 1977 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. She is an actress, known for Un posto al sole (1996), Quanta donna vuoi (2004) and Esperança (2002). She has been married to Bellitti, Guido since 18 September 2010. They have two children.
- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vittorio Sindoni was born in 1939 in Capo d'Orlando, Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for Gli anni struggenti (1979), Abbraccialo per me (2016) and La signora è stata violentata (1973).- Michele Cimarosa was born on 8 April 1926 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was an actor, known for Ninì Tirabusciò, la donna che inventò la mossa (1970), The Brotherhood (1968) and Straziami ma di baci saziami (1968). He died on 15 February 1993 in Messina, Sicily, Italy.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tony Pantano was born on 24 January 1948 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was an actor, known for Muerte en altamar (1994), The Ernie Sigley Show (1974) and The Graham Kennedy Show (1972). He was married to Mary-Anne Mercuri. He died on 7 January 2023 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.- Franca Manetti was born in April 1908 in San Piero Patti, Messina, Sicily, Italy. She was an actress, known for Il lumacone (1974), Extraconiugale (1964) and Virility (1974). She died on 28 February 1993 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
- Production Manager
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Enzo Provenzale was born in 1920 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was a production manager and writer, known for The Challenge (1958), Last Tango in Paris (1972) and Salvatore Giuliano (1962). He died in 1990 in Rome, Italy.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Giacomo Rondinella was born on 30 August 1923 in Messina, Italy. He was an actor, known for Journey to Italy (1954), Teatro Umberto (1958) and Sunday in August (1950). He was married to Ada Alese. He died on 25 February 2015 in Fonte Nuova, Lazio, Italy.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Antonio Micciulli was born on 13 January 1976 in Messina, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for Santa Guerra (2022), Piccolo manuale di strategia e tattica militare (2002) and Tempo di reazione (2011).- Santi Scinelli was born on 31 July 1964 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor, known for Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012), The Smoke (2014) and 51 Degrees North (2015).
- Actor
- Costume Designer
Gabriele Greco was born on 11 October 1976 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor and costume designer, known for Un tango prima di tornare (2011), Don Matteo (2000) and Il giovane Pertini - Combattente per la libertà (2019). He has been married to Alessandra Mammolo since June 2016. They have one child.- Writer
- Actor
- Director
Oreste Palella was born on 19 August 1912 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was a writer and actor, known for Il richiamo nella tempesta (1950), Non vogliamo morire (1954) and Caterina da Siena (1947). He died on 18 November 1969 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Giorgio Bongiovanni was born in 1966 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor, known for Detective Montalbano (1999), Il furto del tesoro (2000) and La vita altrui (2000).
- Cinematographer
- Director
- Writer
Carlo Ausino was born on 20 July 1938 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was a cinematographer and director, known for Don't Look in the Attic (1982), Killer's Playlist (2006) and Una favola moderna (2001). He died on 22 November 2020 in Torino, Piemonte, Italy.- Mario Balice was born on 18 April 1932 in Messina, Italy. He was an actor, known for Vacanze col gangster (1952). He died on 7 July 1981 in Verona, Italy.
- Antonio Alveario was born on 29 July 1963 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor, known for The Mafia Kills Only in Summer (2013), Viola (2022) and Romanzo siciliano (2016).
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Massimo Romeo Piparo was born on 17 December 1967 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor and assistant director, known for Nessuno (1992), Isotta (1996) and La maschera e il sorriso (2016). He has been married to Samuela Sardo since 9 July 2011. They have one child.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Director
Paolo Lombardo was born on 30 August 1941 in Messina, Italy. He is a writer and director, known for Dagli archivi della polizia criminale (1973), The Defeat of the Barbarians (1962) and Un alibi per morire (1962).- Giuseppe Zucca was born on 1 May 1887 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was a writer, known for I cavalieri dalle maschere nere (I beati paoli) (1948), Nozze di sangue (1941) and Amore imperiale (1941). He died on 2 December 1959 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
- Cinematographer
- Visual Effects
- Camera and Electrical Department
Jacopo Saccà was born on 18 March 1989 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is a cinematographer, known for Colapesce, Dimartino: Splash (2023), Colapesce, Dimartino: Musica leggerissima (2021) and Cambogia: Il mare non è niente di speciale (2016).- Vincenzo Nibali was born on 14 November 1984 in Messina, Sicily, Italy.
- Lucia Aliberti was born on 12 June 1957 in Messina, Italy. She is an actress, known for Pasolini, la verità nascosta (2013), Norma (1990) and La sonnambula (1979).
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Giovanni Giuffrè was born on 29 August 1996 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an actor and director, known for Tempo di vita (2022), Non esiste (2023) and Detective Montalbano (1999).- Producer
- Production Manager
- Actor
Fortunato Misiano was born on 11 October 1899 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was a producer and production manager, known for SuperSeven Calling Cairo (1965), The Pirate and the Slave Girl (1959) and Queen of the Seas (1961). He died on 11 February 1976 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Gino Buzzanca was born on 8 March 1912 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He was an actor, known for Orlando e i Paladini di Francia (1956), Robin Hood and the Pirates (1960) and Duello nella Sila (1962). He died on 5 May 1985 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
- Carlo Tricoli was born on 2 December 1889 in Lipari, Messina, Italy. He was an actor, known for Spy Hunt (1950), Black Hand (1950) and A Lady Without Passport (1950). He died on 11 April 1966 in San Diego, California, USA.
- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Francesco Calogero was born in Messina (Italy), he graduated in Law with a thesis on film rights, and worked in some art houses. After his long experience as a programme coordinator in the Taormina Intl. Film Festival, he became Artistic Director in many film exhibitions, dedicated to independent Italian cinema: among them, Messina Film Festival (1995-1999), CostaIblea Film Festival (2003-2009), Valdarno Cinema Fedic (2006-2014). Since 1996 he conducted an assiduous didactic activity, holding courses and workshops in many Italian cities; for three years (2005-2008) he taught Cinema at the University of Messina. He made his debut as film director shooting two amateur Super 8 films - the feature La caviglia di Amelia (Amelia's Ankle) and the short Bionda per un giorno (Blonde for a Day) - and some videos (among them Lonesome, produced by Salso Film&Tv Festival with Rai-Italian State Television). He directed in 1987 his first feature film in 16mm. La gentilezza del tocco (The Gentle Touch), premiered in San Sebastian, then shown in several festivals (Turin, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Sydney, Hamburg, Galway). Awarded as Best Independent Film of the Year in Bellaria, this film won the Laceno d'Oro in Avellino, then the Bronze Dolphin and the Fipresci Award in Troia (Portugal); nominated to the Italian Silver Ribbons, it won in 1988 the Sacher d'Oro for Best Debut Film (in the first edition of this prize, created by the Italian film director Nanni Moretti). If possible even more "independent", the feature film Visioni private (Private Visions) - shot in 16 mm. together with Ninni Bruschetta and Donald Ranvaud during Taormina Film Festival 1988, and completed two years later - became an object of desire in the international circuit (Turin, Smoljan, Rotterdam, Valencia, Troia, Jerusalem and the Intl. Forum at the Berlinale) due to its unusual setting in a film festival milieu. Still together with the stage director Ninni Bruschetta, in 1988 he wrote the play Il battello degli amanti (The Lovers' Boat), and afterwards he adapted I carabinieri, by Beniamino Joppolo, performed in the Orestiadi (Gibellina) 1994, then in tour. In the same year Sellerio published La gentilezza del tocco, containing the screenplays of his three professional films, including Nessuno (Nobody), his first feature in 35 mm., shown in 1992 at EuropaCinema (Viareggio), Saint-Vincent's Grolle d'Oro and Annecy. In November 1995 he made his debut as an opera director in Messina, staging Gaetano Donizetti's Rita ou le mari battu, followed two years later by Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, then Norma (1998) and La Sonnambula (2003), both composed by Vincenzo Bellini. He also directed the film documentation for all five stagings. In 1997 he returned to cinema directing Cinque giorni di tempesta (Five Stormy Days), premiered at the 54th Venice Film Festival, then shown in Los Angeles, Moscow, Luxembourg, Casablanca. The film was awarded with the Grand Prix in Annecy Film Festival, the Young European Cinema Award in Osaka and the Siae Award for Best Story (co-authors Giovanni and Sandro Veronesi); its protagonist Roberto De Francesco won the Sacher d'Oro 1998 as Best Italian Actor. After Metronotte (Night Watch) - shown in 2000 at Mystfest (Cattolica), in competition at Annecy and Villerupt, then in several European cities - he made in 2002 his debut as a documentary director, shooting for the series "The Sacher Diaries" L'implacabile tenente Rossi (The Implacable Lieutenant Rossi), screened in a number of festivals after the world première in Locarno. Two years later he directed In the Name of the Godfather - shot on F. F. Coppola's Sicilian sets, and screened in Taormina Film Festival - a preparatory work for the medium-length Nella terra del Padrino (In the Land of the Godfather), completed in 2012 with the support of Rai Cinema. In 2013 he started with Mia Arfuso the production company Polittico, which made its debut with the documentary Mise en Scène with Arthur Penn (A Conversation) - shoot by the Iranian director Amir Naderi, co-produced by Alphaville Film and Rai show Fuori Orario, and shown during the 71st Venice Film Festival - while completing in January 2015 the feature film Seconda primavera (Second Spring), premiered in Italy at the 26th Trieste Film Festival.- Production Designer
- Art Director
- Set Decorator
Marco Dentici was born on 2 June 1947 in Galati Marina, Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is a production designer and art director, known for Vincere (2009), Sweet Dreams (2016) and The Nanny (1999).- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Peppe Ruggeri was born on 10 March 1986 in Messina, Sicily, Italy. He is an assistant director, known for Unbroken (2014), Trunk (2015) and The Water Diviner (2014).