Franco Zeffirelli: biography of the director and his work

Franco Zeffirelli is a cult director, producer and artist, whose works touch many deep themes. The secrets of the biography and puzzles of the director's creativity help to understand which events and beliefs have become the basis for creating brilliant works. The article presents portraits of Franco Zeffirelli (photos of different ages). A diligent student of Lukino Visconti highlights phenomena that exist outside of time - beauty, love and art.

Franco Zeffirelli: Biography

At birth, the future director was named Gianfranco Corsi. He was born on February 12, 1923. His father was a modest merchant of clothes. Mother died when Franco was 6 years old. Being passionate about art, he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Florence.

The aunt was engaged in the education of the boy, and later the servant of the father. This is explained by the fact that Franco Zeffirelli was born from a woman on the side.

When the war began, he went to the mountains, refusing to join the army of Mussolini. Franco fought along with the partisans. After the war, he moved to Rome, becoming an artist and an actor. Since 1950, the director has staged a large number of operas and plays, visiting with them London, Milan, New York and many other major cities. The main feature of the style of Franco is the staging luxury.

Artist Gianfranco Corsi

Academic art education led Franco Zeffirelli to the Florence Theater, where he worked as an artist-designer. Immediately got acquainted with his future teacher - Lukino Visconti.

Already well-known director and screenwriter suggested Jeffirelli's role in the film based on Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment. The acting debut turned out to be successful, and Luchino Visconti took Franco Zeffirelli as assistant to the film "The Earth Shakes", which later won the Venice Film Festival Prize.

Later he works with other directors, but still remains an artist. Franco is still working with Luchino Visconti, not only as an assistant, but also as a designer. After a series of extraordinary and bold scenery, Zeffirelli offers work on the decorations of Cinderella in La Scala. He agrees to this proposal, with the proviso that he himself will act as a director. "Cinderella" was a resounding success, which allowed Zeffirelli to put many successful performances.

Franco Zeffirelli: Filmography

After a successful work in the theater, the director decides to try himself in the cinema. His first paintings were: "Camping" and "Taming the Shrew," but the director himself called the work "theatrical" and even conservative. Critics have dubbed Zeffirelli unnecessarily pretentious and extravagant. In fact, such reviews were caused by an abundance of canonical dialogues and scenes.

However, the next cinematic experience of Zeffirelli will not only bring him world fame, but make him one of the exemplary directors of cinematography as such. This picture was the interpretation of "Romeo and Juliet." Franco Zeffirelli not only revived the classics, he showed it in a new light.

In addition, he became the director of such works:

• "Tea with Mussolini."
• "Jane Eyre."
• "Sparrow".
• "Don Carlo."
• "Hamlet".
• "Endless love".
• "Traviata".

And even in films, he is not only a director, but primarily an artist. He, like no one else, managed to select actors who became legends. Not all the artists who worked with him, gained fame. Many did not go beyond the opening in the paintings of Zeffirelli. Franco himself treated his actors in an original way. He perceived them as shades: with one the whole picture will fail, and the other will be able to make masterpieces in it.

Eternal themes

An artist who wants to perpetuate himself in history, sooner or later resorts to immortal themes. Jefferelli, as a very ambitious person, also does not lag behind this tradition and decides to implement two religious films: "Brother Sun, Sister Luna" and "Jesus of Nazareth."

The first tells about the youth of Francis Assisi, who does not agree with the dogmas of the Catholic Church. After a long struggle with the Pope himself, he decides to found his own school - Franciscanism.

"Jesus of Nazareth" - a description of the life of Jesus. In the film, he is presented as a historical hero.

Prizes and awards

Franco was nominated for the Directors Guild of America Award in 1996. He also won the title of best director for the film "Romeo and Juliet". The same award he was awarded after the rent of the movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon." Subsequently, he received the "David di Donatello" award.

In 1969, the director becomes the owner of the Oscar. And in 1982 he received the "Golden Raspberry" for artistic direction in the work "Endless Love". After 2 years, Franco receives a prize in two categories of the British Academy for his work on "Triviat". In 1986, the director was awarded the "Golden Palm Branch" for the work of "Othello".

Personal life

For a long time, Franco Zeffirelli did not tell the journalists about the details of his personal life. This is because he is a representative of homosexuals. In Europe, the silence of the details of personal life is considered a good form.

However, in an interview he stated that his first experience with girls had happened at the age of 16. Subsequently, homosexual nature became dominant. Unisex love in Florence was common.

Director Franco Zeffirelli differs in that it shows in each of his work the power of youth and youth of convictions. Any of his paintings becomes a masterpiece, bribing the audience with the perfect combination of actors and the discussion of eternal themes.