Tribute to Mario Monicelli

It is with great sadness that I learn of Mario’s death at the age of 95
Monicelli, one of the masters of Italian comedy.
As a director, he had invited in his films the greatest actors
Italian and French: among others, Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, and
Claudia Cardinale in «Le Pigeon» in 1958, Philippe Noiret in «Mes
Dear Friends” in the 1970s.
«The Great War» with Alberto Sordi, Sylvana Mangano and Bernard Blier
won a Golden Lion in 1959 and an Oscar nomination and was recently
projected again in Venice last year during the Mostra.
This filmmaker has delighted us with his unique humour, elegance and
malice; his extreme finesse as well. What bothers me is not being
living, not being dead” he declared one day. Living he will remain so through
and in our hearts.