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Elvira Notari: Breaking the Silence of Cinema History

Francesco Defler 31 Mar 2026
Scienceonline
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A special evening featuring a keynote lecture by Professor Giuliana Bruno

Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Time: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Location: Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, NYU

About the Event
To mark the New York City premiere at Film Forum, we invite you to honor the legacy of Elvira Notari (1875–1946)—Italy’s first female director and a powerhouse of Neapolitan silent cinema. This event celebrates a pioneer whose work once captivated audiences from the streets of Naples to the "Little Italies" across the Atlantic, before being obscured by Fascist censorship and the passage of time.

Evening Program
1. Introductory Lecture & Book Signing
The program begins with Professor Giuliana Bruno (Harvard University), whose seminal 1993 book, Streetwalking on a Ruined Map, sparked the global critical rediscovery of Notari. Professor Bruno will reflect on the book's lasting impact and why Notari’s intersection of urban space, architecture, and film remains vital today. A book signing will follow the presentation.

2. Documentary Screening
"Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence" (2025, 90 min.)

Director: Valerio Ciriaci

Language: Italian with English subtitles

Produced by: Parallelo 41, Awen Films, and Cinecittà
Having premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival (Venice Classics) and standing as a David di Donatello finalist, this documentary offers a living portrait of a visionary whose career was cut short in 1930 but whose influence persists.

3. Panel Discussion & Q&A
Following the screening, stay for an English-language deep dive into the making of the film and Notari’s heritage with:

Antonella Di Nocera (Producer)

Isaak Liptzin (Producer/Cinematographer)

Mila Tenaglia (Associate Producer)


150 years after her birth, the "silence" surrounding Elvira Notari is finally being broken. After directing sixty feature films that blended raw Neapolitan realism with popular passion, her work was largely lost or suppressed. Today, through new scholarship and artistic tributes, we bring back into the light a woman who redefined the visual language of the early 20th century.

Ultima modifica il Lunedì, 30 Marzo 2026 11:11
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