Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone, known professionally as Sophia Loren, is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest stars of classical Hollywood cinema and as of 2023, is one of the last surviving major stars from the era. Loren is also the only remaining living person to appear on AFI's list of the 50 greatest stars of American film history, positioned 21st.
Merlin is a 1998 two-part television miniseries starring Sam Neill as Merlin, recounting the wizard's life in the mythic history of Britain. Loosely adapted from the legendary tales of Camelot, the plot adds the antagonistic Queen Mab and expands Merlin's backstory before the birth of King Arthur.
The Best of Youth is a 2003 Italian historical drama film directed by Marco Tullio Giordana and written by Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli. A family saga set in Italy from 1966 through 2003, it chronicles the life of the middle-class Carati family, focusing primarily on brothers Nicola and Matteo as their life paths separate during youth, encompassing major political and social events in post–World War II Italian history.
Italian for Beginners is a 2000 Danish romantic comedy film written and directed by Lone Scherfig, and starring Anders W. Berthelsen, Lars Kaalund and Peter Gantzler, together with Ann Eleonora Jørgensen, Anette Støvelbæk and Sara Indrio Jensen. The film was made by the austere principles of the Dogme 95 movement, including the use of handheld video cameras and natural lighting, and is known as Dogme XII. However, in contrast to most Dogme films which are harsh and serious in tone, Italian for Beginners is a light-hearted comedy. It was made on a $600,000 budget, and went on to gross over 27 times that.
Maria Sophie Amalie, Duchess in Bavaria was the last Queen consort of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. She was one of the ten children of Maximilian Joseph, Duke in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. She was born as Duchess Maria Sophia in Bavaria. She was the younger sister of the better-known Elisabeth of Bavaria ("Sisi") who married Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.
Giulia Farnese was an Italian noblewoman, a mistress to Pope Alexander VI, and the sister of Pope Paul III. Known as Giulia la bella, she was a member of the noble Farnese family, who were prominent leaders in the Italian regions of Parma and Piacenza. After marrying into the noble Orsini family in the Papal States, Farnese soon acquainted herself with, and initiated an affair with, the Spanish Cardinal Rodrigo de Borja. When the cardinal was elected Pope, Farnese continued the increasingly advantageous liaison, which enabled her to have her brother Alessandro made a cardinal, until losing Alexander's favor at the turn of the century.
San Vito al Tagliamento is a comune (municipality) in the Regional decentralization entity of Pordenone in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Trieste and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Pordenone.
Love Songs is a 2007 French musical film directed by Christophe Honoré, starring Louis Garrel, Ludivine Sagnier, Clotilde Hesme and Chiara Mastroianni. It was one of the 20 films selected for the main competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Mary of the Divine Heart, born Maria Droste zu Vischering, was a German noblewoman and religious sister of the Catholic Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. She is best known for having influenced Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Pope Leo XIII called the solemn consecration "the greatest act of my pontificate".
Lotte Verbeek is a Dutch actress, dancer and model. She is known for her role as Giulia Farnese in The Borgias television series created by Neil Jordan, and as Geillis Duncan in the Starz series Outlander.
María Belén Rodríguez Cozzani, better known as Belén Rodríguez or Belén, is an Argentine-Italian television personality, actress and model. Based in Milan since 2004, Rodríguez has hosted variety shows and appeared in television commercials and films in Italy.
Between Strangers is a 2002 film written and directed by Edoardo Ponti. It stars an ensemble cast including Sophia Loren, Mira Sorvino, Deborah Kara Unger, Pete Postlethwaite, Klaus Maria Brandauer, and Malcolm McDowell. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received a limited release on October 4, 2002.
Edoardo Ponti is an Italian director. He is the younger son of actress Sophia Loren and producer Carlo Ponti Sr. and the brother of conductor Carlo Ponti Jr.
Where Are You? I'm Here is a 1993 Italian drama film directed by Liliana Cavani.
Giulia Crostarosa was an Italian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptoristines). She reported a series of visions that led to the establishment of a congregation with its own rule. She assumed the religious name of "Maria Celeste" when she became a professed nun.
Che Dio ci aiuti is an Italian TV series that has been broadcast in Italy since December 2011.
Pazze di me is a 2013 Italian comedy film co-written and directed by Fausto Brizzi.
Maria Mudryak is a Kazakh operatic soprano.
The Veil of Maya is a 2017 Italian romantic comedy-drama film directed by Elisabetta Rocchetti.
A Chiara is a 2021 Italian-language drama film directed and written by Jonas Carpignano, the third film in his film trilogy set in a Calabrian town, following Mediterranea (2015) and A Ciambra (2017). The film stars Swamy Rotolo, Claudio Rotolo, Grecia Rotolo, and Carmela Fumo and had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 9, 2021, in the Directors' Fortnight section, to very positive reviews. Following its festival screening, the film was distributed by MK2 Films and Lucky Red in Italy and Neon in the United States.
