Ettore Scola (; 10 May 1931 – 19 January 2016) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He received a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film in 1978 for his film ''

A Special Day ''A Special Day'' ( it, Una giornata particolare) is a 1977 Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola and starring Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and John Vernon. Set in Rome in 1938, its narrative follows a woman and her neighbor who stay ho ...

'' and over the course of his film career was nominated for five

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for Best Foreign Language Film.

Life and career

Scola was born in

Trevico Trevico is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy. Located in the Apennines upon a steep hill at 3,576 feet (1,090 m) altitude, Trevico is the highest inhabited place in Campania. Its main produce are hams, ch ...

, Avellino, Campania. From age 15, he became a ghostwriter. He entered the film industry as a screenwriter in 1953, and collaborated with director

Dino Risi Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of ''commedia all'italiana''. Biography Risi was born in Milan. He had an ol ...

and fellow writer

Ruggero Maccari Ruggero Maccari (28 June 1919 – 8 May 1989) was an Italian screenwriter. Specially known by his collaboration with film director and screenwriter Ettore Scola. He wrote Commedia all'italiana films such as ''The Easy Life'', '' Brutti spor ...

on the screenplay for Risi's feature, ''

Il Sorpasso ''Il sorpasso'' (, occasionally titled ''The Easy Life'') is a 1962 Italian cult comedy film co-written and directed by Dino Risi and starring Vittorio Gassman, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Catherine Spaak. It is considered Risi's masterpiece and one ...

'' (1962). 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'' (''C'eravamo tanto amati''), a wide fresco of post-World War II Italian life and politics, dedicated to fellow director

Vittorio De Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...

. The film won the Golden Prize at the

9th Moscow International Film Festival The 9th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 10 to 23 July 1975. The Golden Prizes were awarded to the Polish film '' The Promised Land'' directed by Andrzej Wajda, the Soviet-Japanese film ''Dersu Uzala'' directed by Akira Kurosawa a ...

. In 1976 he won the Prix de la mise en scène at the

1976 Cannes Film Festival The 29th Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 28 May 1976. The Palme d'Or went to ''Taxi Driver'' by Martin Scorsese. In 1976, "L'Air du temps", a new section which was non-competitive and focused on contemporary subjects, was introduced. This ...

for ''

Brutti, sporchi e cattivi ''Ugly, Dirty and Bad'' (''Brutti, sporchi e cattivi'') is an Italian grotesque film directed by Ettore Scola and released in 1976. Ettore Scola won the Prix de la Mise en scène at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. Plot The film tells the grotes ...

''. Scola made further successful films, including ''

'' (1977), ''

That Night In Varennes ''That Night in Varennes'' ( it, Il mondo nuovo; french: La Nuit de Varennes) is a 1982 French-Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola. It is based on a novel by Catherine Rihoit. It tells the story of a fictional meeting among Restif de la Br ...

'' (1982), '' What Time Is It?'' (1989) and ''

Captain Fracassa's Journey ''Captain Fracassa's Journey'' ( it, Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa) is a 1990 Italian comedy film directed by Ettore Scola. The film is based on the 1863 novel '' Captain Fracasse'' by Théophile Gautier. It was entered into the 41st Berlin In ...

'' (1990). 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 Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

and

James Lapine James Elliot Lapine (born January 10, 1949) is an American stage director, playwright, screenwriter, and librettist. He has won the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical three times, for ''Into the Woods'', ''Falsettos'', and '' Passion''. He ha ...

into the award-winning musical '' Passion''. He was a member of the jury at the

1988 Cannes Film Festival The 41st Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 23 May 1988. The Palme d'Or went to the '' Pelle erobreren'' by Bille August. The festival opened with ''Le Grand Bleu'', directed by Luc Besson and closed with ''Willow'', directed by Ron Howard. ...

. . In 2009, Scola signed a petition in support of film director

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański , group=lower-alpha, name=note_a (né Liebling; 18 August 1933) is a French-Polish film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two ...

, 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 ''Se permettete parliamo di donne'' (internationally released as ''Let's Talk About Women'') is a 1964 Italian comedy film. It represents the directorial debut of Ettore Scola. The film consists of nine segments, all played by Vittorio Gassman ...

'' (1964) * ''

Thrilling ''Thrilling'' is a 1965 Italian comedy film. The film is split into three distinct segments, each directed by a different director; namely Carlo Lizzani, Ettore Scola and Gian Luigi Polidoro. Cast Il vittimista * Directed by Ettore Scola * N ...

'' (1965) * '' Hard Time for Princes'' (1965) * '' The Devil in Love'' (1966) * '' Will Our Heroes Be Able to Find Their Friend Who Has Mysteriously Disappeared in Africa?'' (1968) * ''

Police Chief Pepe ''Il Commissario Pepe'' or ''Police Chief Pepe'' is a 1969 Italian comedy – drama film directed by Ettore Scola. It is based on a Ugo Facco De La Garda's novel. Filmed in Vicenza, the city is never mentioned. Awards Ugo Tognazzi was named ...

'' (1969) * '' The Pizza Triangle'' (1970) * '' My Name Is Rocco Papaleo'' (1971) * ''

The Most Wonderful Evening of My Life ''The Most Wonderful Evening of My Life'' (Italian: ''La più bella serata della mia vita''; French: ''La plus belle soirée de ma vie'') is a 1972 Italian- French comedy drama film directed by Ettore Scola. It is based on the novel '' A Danger ...

'' (1972) * '' Trevico-Turin: Voyage in Fiatnam'' (1973) * '' Festival Unità'' (1973) - documentary * '' We All Loved Each Other So Much'' (1974) * ''

Goodnight, Ladies and Gentlemen ''Goodnight, Ladies and Gentlemen'' ( it, Signore e signori, buonanotte, french: Mesdames et messieurs bonsoir) is a 1976 French-Italian satirical comedy anthology film. It comprises twelve episodes on themes of corruption in various Italian in ...

'' (1976) * '' Down and Dirty'' (1976) * ''

'' (1977) * '' La terrazza'' (1980) * ''

Passion of Love ''Passion of Love'' ( it, Passione d'amore) is a 1981 Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola and was adapted from the 1869 novel '' Fosca'' by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti. The film was entered into the 1981 Cannes Film Festival and served as the ...

'' (1981) * ''

That Night in Varennes ''That Night in Varennes'' ( it, Il mondo nuovo; french: La Nuit de Varennes) is a 1982 French-Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola. It is based on a novel by Catherine Rihoit. It tells the story of a fictional meeting among Restif de la Br ...

'' (1982) * '' Vorrei che volo'' (1982) - documentary * '' Le Bal'' (1983) * ''

Macaroni Macaroni (, Italian: maccheroni) is dry pasta shaped like narrow tubes.Oxford DictionaryMacaroni/ref> Made with durum wheat, macaroni is commonly cut in short lengths; curved macaroni may be referred to as elbow macaroni. Some home machines ...

'' (1985) * '' Imago urbis'' (1987) - documentary * '' The Family'' (1987) * ''

Splendor Splendor or splendour (see spelling differences) may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Splendor (game), a card-based board game published in 2014 by Marc André * ''Splendour'' (play), a 2000 play by Abi Morgan * '' Splendor: A Luxe Novel'', a ...

'' (1988) * '' What Time Is It?'' (1989) * ''

'' (1990) * '' Mario, Maria and Mario'' (1993) * '' Romanzo di un giovane povero'' (1995) * '' The Dinner'' (1998) * ''

Unfair Competition Unfair may refer to: * Double Taz and Double LeBron James in multiverses ''fair''; unfairness or injustice * ''Unfair'' (drama), Japanese television series * '' Unfair: The Movie'' * Unfair (song), a song by South Korean boy group EXO