Franco Zeffirelli

Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli KBE, Grande Ufficiale OMRI (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), commonly known as Franco Zeffirelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈfraŋko dzeffiˈrɛlli]), was an Italian director and producer of operas, films and television. He was also a senator from 1994 until 2001 for the Italian centre-right Forza Italia party. Some of his operatic designs and productions have become worldwide classics. He was also known for several of the movies he directed, especially the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. His 1967 version of The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton remains the best-known film adaptation of that play as well. His miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977) won both national and international acclaim and is still frequently shown on Christmas and Easter in many countries. A Grande Ufficiale OMRI of the Italian Republic since 1977, Zeffirelli also received an honorary British knighthood in 2004 when he was created a KBE. He was awarded the Premio Colosseo in 2009 by the city of Rome.

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Endless Love (1981)

Two young kids fall in love with each other. But the passion is too consuming for the parents of Jade. The parents try to stop them from seeing each other. But when this doesn't work, David burns down the house and is sent away. This doesn't stop him from seeing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Brooke Shields  •  Martin Hewitt  •  Shirley Knight  •  Jami Gertz

Two young kids fall in love with each other. But the passion is too consuming for the parents of Jade. The parents try to stop them from seeing each other. But when this doesn't work, David burns down the house and is sent away. This doesn't stop him from seeing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Brooke Shields  •  Martin Hewitt  •  Shirley Knight  •  Jami Gertz

Hamlet (1990)

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Mel Gibson  •  Glenn Close  •  Alan Bates  •  Paul Scofield

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, finds out that his uncle Claudius killed his father to obtain the throne, and plans revenge.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Mel Gibson  •  Glenn Close  •  Alan Bates  •  Paul Scofield

Jane Eyre (1996)

Jane Eyre is an orphan cast out as a young girl by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and sent to be raised in a harsh charity school for girls. There she learns to be come a teacher and eventually seeks employment outside the school. Her advertisement is answered by the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Anna Paquin  •  Charlotte Gainsbourg  •  William Hurt  •  Joan Plowright

Jane Eyre is an orphan cast out as a young girl by her aunt, Mrs. Reed, and sent to be raised in a harsh charity school for girls. There she learns to be come a teacher and eventually seeks employment outside the school. Her advertisement is answered by the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Anna Paquin  •  Charlotte Gainsbourg  •  William Hurt  •  Joan Plowright

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

TragicDramaticOriginalRomantic

Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love against the wishes of their feuding families. Driven by their passion, the young lovers defy their destiny and elope, only to suffer the ultimate tragedy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Leonard Whiting  •  Olivia Hussey  •  John McEnery  •  Michael York

Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love against the wishes of their feuding families. Driven by their passion, the young lovers defy their destiny and elope, only to suffer the ultimate tragedy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Leonard Whiting  •  Olivia Hussey  •  John McEnery  •  Michael York

Tea with Mussolini (1999)

Semi-autobiographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, telling the story of young Italian boy Luca's upbringing by a circle of English and American women, before and during World War II.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Cher  •  Maggie Smith  •  Judi Dench  •  Lily Tomlin

Semi-autobiographical film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, telling the story of young Italian boy Luca's upbringing by a circle of English and American women, before and during World War II.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Cher  •  Maggie Smith  •  Judi Dench  •  Lily Tomlin

Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)

In his delirium from his return from war, Francesco Bernardone goes back in his memories to the days when he lived for parties and carnal pleasures. He slowly recovers, but after the illness he is no longer the Francesco that everybody knew. Instead of spending ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Graham Faulkner  •  Judi Bowker  •  Leigh Lawson  •  Kenneth Cranham

In his delirium from his return from war, Francesco Bernardone goes back in his memories to the days when he lived for parties and carnal pleasures. He slowly recovers, but after the illness he is no longer the Francesco that everybody knew. Instead of spending ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Graham Faulkner  •  Judi Bowker  •  Leigh Lawson  •  Kenneth Cranham

Carmen (1997)

Live performance from the Metropolitan Opera, 25 March 1997.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Waltraud Meier  •  Plácido Domingo  •  Angela Gheorghiu  •  Christopher Schaldenbrand

Live performance from the Metropolitan Opera, 25 March 1997.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Gary Halvorson
CAST:  Waltraud Meier  •  Plácido Domingo  •  Angela Gheorghiu  •  Christopher Schaldenbrand

Turandot (1987)

The Franco Zeffirelli production of Puccini's "Turandot", recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera in April, 1987. Éva Marton stars as Turandot, with Plácido Domingo as Calaf, Leona Mitchell as Liù, Paul Plishka as Timur, and Hugues Cuenod as L'Imperatore Altoum. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Kirk Browning
CAST:  Éva Marton  •  Leona Mitchell  •  Paul Plishka  •  Plácido Domingo

The Franco Zeffirelli production of Puccini's "Turandot", recorded live at the Metropolitan Opera in April, 1987. Éva Marton stars as Turandot, with Plácido Domingo as Calaf, Leona Mitchell as Liù, Paul Plishka as Timur, and Hugues Cuenod as L'Imperatore Altoum. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Kirk Browning
CAST:  Éva Marton  •  Leona Mitchell  •  Paul Plishka  •  Plácido Domingo

For Florence (1966)

A dramatic, solemn and refined work, "Per Firenze" spread throughout the world the cry for help that was rising in those hours from the city of Dante and Brunelleschi, giving rise to one of the greatest phenomena of solidarity that has gone down in history under ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Richard Burton

A dramatic, solemn and refined work, "Per Firenze" spread throughout the world the cry for help that was rising in those hours from the city of Dante and Brunelleschi, giving rise to one of the greatest phenomena of solidarity that has gone down in history under ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Richard Burton

My Name Is Anna Magnani (1980)

Traces the life of Anna Magnani, her creations, her successes, her triumphs, her boycotted career, her nonconformism, her anxieties, her generosity ... Punctuated with photos that tell her career in theater and cinema, Extracts of films, this documentary portrait ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chris Vermorcken
CAST:  Anna Magnani  •  Claude Autant-Lara  •  Marco Bellocchio  •  Laura Betti

Traces the life of Anna Magnani, her creations, her successes, her triumphs, her boycotted career, her nonconformism, her anxieties, her generosity ... Punctuated with photos that tell her career in theater and cinema, Extracts of films, this documentary portrait ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chris Vermorcken
CAST:  Anna Magnani  •  Claude Autant-Lara  •  Marco Bellocchio  •  Laura Betti

The Mystery of Dante (2014)

A journey in the footsteps of the most famous initiate of Italian Trecento, the author of the celebrated "Divine Comedy". A poet who has inspired some of the most outstanding minds in History.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Louis Nero
CAST:  F. Murray Abraham  •  Taylor Hackford  •  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Silvano Agosti

A journey in the footsteps of the most famous initiate of Italian Trecento, the author of the celebrated "Divine Comedy". A poet who has inspired some of the most outstanding minds in History.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Louis Nero
CAST:  F. Murray Abraham  •  Taylor Hackford  •  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Silvano Agosti

12 Directors for 12 Cities (1989)

Promotional omnibus film, made for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, featuring portraits of 12 Italian cities.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bernardo Bertolucci  •  Michelangelo Antonioni  •  Alberto Lattuada  •  Mario Monicelli  •  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Carlo Lizzani  •  Ermanno Olmi  •  Gillo Pontecorvo  •  Lina Wertmüller  •  Francesco Rosi  •  Mauro Bolognini  •  Giuseppe Bertolucci  •  Mario Soldati
CAST:  Giancarlo Maestri  •  Amelia Martello  •  Giovanni Mauriello  •  Tonino Accolla

Promotional omnibus film, made for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, featuring portraits of 12 Italian cities.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bernardo Bertolucci  •  Michelangelo Antonioni  •  Alberto Lattuada  •  Mario Monicelli  •  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Carlo Lizzani  •  Ermanno Olmi  •  Gillo Pontecorvo  •  Lina Wertmüller  •  Francesco Rosi  •  Mauro Bolognini  •  Giuseppe Bertolucci  •  Mario Soldati
CAST:  Giancarlo Maestri  •  Amelia Martello  •  Giovanni Mauriello  •  Tonino Accolla

The King of Ads (1991)

A collection of European T.V. commercials directed by a variety of well-known directors from across Europe and the U.S. Compiled and produced by Jean-Marie Boursicot.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Scorsese  •  David Lynch  •  Ridley Scott  •  Sergio Leone  •  Roman Polanski  •  Andrei Konchalovsky  •  Federico Fellini  •  Jean-Luc Godard  •  Dick Lundy  •  Carlos Saura  •  Patrice Leconte  •  Gérard Jugnot  •  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Giuseppe Tornatore  •  Claude Chabrol  •  Dario Argento  •  Jean-Jacques Annaud  •  Claude Lelouch  •  Tony Scott  •  Michel Israël  •  Paul J. Smith  •  Étienne Chatiliez  •  Walter Lantz  •  Gérard Pirès  •  Bob Giraldi  •  Hugh Hudson  •  David Bailey  •  Joe Pytka  •  Maurizio Nichetti  •  Bruce Weber  •  Jean-Pierre Mocky  •  Just Jaeckin  •  Don Patterson  •  Jean-Baptiste Mondino  •  Helmut Newton  •  Jean-Paul Goude  •  Jean-Marie Boursicot  •  Alain Franchet  •  Robert Delpire  •  Ricardo Albiñana  •  Atsuta  •  Julian Cottrell  •  Eric De La Hosseray  •  Jaime De La Pena  •  Theo Delaney  •  Martin Lobo  •  The Molotov Brothers  •  Håkan Sjödin  •  Richard Slogett  •  J. Taylor
CAST:  Grace Jones  •  Vanessa Paradis  •  Emmanuelle Seigner

A collection of European T.V. commercials directed by a variety of well-known directors from across Europe and the U.S. Compiled and produced by Jean-Marie Boursicot.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Scorsese  •  David Lynch  •  Ridley Scott  •  Sergio Leone  •  Roman Polanski  •  Andrei Konchalovsky  •  Federico Fellini  •  Jean-Luc Godard  •  Dick Lundy  •  Carlos Saura  •  Patrice Leconte  •  Gérard Jugnot  •  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Giuseppe Tornatore  •  Claude Chabrol  •  Dario Argento  •  Jean-Jacques Annaud  •  Claude Lelouch  •  Tony Scott  •  Michel Israël  •  Paul J. Smith  •  Étienne Chatiliez  •  Walter Lantz  •  Gérard Pirès  •  Bob Giraldi  •  Hugh Hudson  •  David Bailey  •  Joe Pytka  •  Maurizio Nichetti  •  Bruce Weber  •  Jean-Pierre Mocky  •  Just Jaeckin  •  Don Patterson  •  Jean-Baptiste Mondino  •  Helmut Newton  •  Jean-Paul Goude  •  Jean-Marie Boursicot  •  Alain Franchet  •  Robert Delpire  •  Ricardo Albiñana  •  Atsuta  •  Julian Cottrell  •  Eric De La Hosseray  •  Jaime De La Pena  •  Theo Delaney  •  Martin Lobo  •  The Molotov Brothers  •  Håkan Sjödin  •  Richard Slogett  •  J. Taylor
CAST:  Grace Jones  •  Vanessa Paradis  •  Emmanuelle Seigner

Camping (1958)

Two young lovers, Tao and Valeria, decide to go and enjoy a beautiful holiday in privacy, away from the daily routine and their parents. After a journey full of adventures, aboard a sidecar, they find themselves in a campsite populated by Germans.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Marisa Allasio  •  Nino Manfredi  •  Paolo Ferrari  •  Kaida Horiuchi

Two young lovers, Tao and Valeria, decide to go and enjoy a beautiful holiday in privacy, away from the daily routine and their parents. After a journey full of adventures, aboard a sidecar, they find themselves in a campsite populated by Germans.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Marisa Allasio  •  Nino Manfredi  •  Paolo Ferrari  •  Kaida Horiuchi

La Bohème (1965)

In the early 1960s two artistic giants, conductor Herbert von Karajan and director Franco Zeffirelli, joined forces to create this milestone production of Puccini’s masterpiece at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala. Filmed in that legendary opera house in 1965, with ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Mirella Freni  •  Adriana Martino  •  Gianni Raimondi  •  Rolando Panerai

In the early 1960s two artistic giants, conductor Herbert von Karajan and director Franco Zeffirelli, joined forces to create this milestone production of Puccini’s masterpiece at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala. Filmed in that legendary opera house in 1965, with ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Mirella Freni  •  Adriana Martino  •  Gianni Raimondi  •  Rolando Panerai

Callas Assoluta (2007)

This revealing documentary from director Philippe Kohly examines the storied life of renowned soprano Maria Callas, from her troubled childhood in New York City to her scandal-laden but triumphant international career in opera. Featuring archival interviews with ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Philippe Kohly
CAST:  María Callas  •  Philippe Faure  •  Jean Cocteau  •  Giuseppe Di Stefano

This revealing documentary from director Philippe Kohly examines the storied life of renowned soprano Maria Callas, from her troubled childhood in New York City to her scandal-laden but triumphant international career in opera. Featuring archival interviews with ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Philippe Kohly
CAST:  María Callas  •  Philippe Faure  •  Jean Cocteau  •  Giuseppe Di Stefano

Verdi: Aida (2006)

Early recordings of Franco Zeffirelli's 2006 production of Verdi's opera which saw Roberto Alagna's high-profile exit during the second performance. Egypt and Ethiopia are at war. Radames is appointed commander of the Egyptian forces by the King, whose daughter, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Patrizia Carmine
CAST:  Marco Spotti  •  Ildikó Komlósi  •  Roberto Alagna  •  Violeta Urmana

Early recordings of Franco Zeffirelli's 2006 production of Verdi's opera which saw Roberto Alagna's high-profile exit during the second performance. Egypt and Ethiopia are at war. Radames is appointed commander of the Egyptian forces by the King, whose daughter, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli  •  Patrizia Carmine
CAST:  Marco Spotti  •  Ildikó Komlósi  •  Roberto Alagna  •  Violeta Urmana

Don Carlo (1992)

This opera was filmed live at La Scala in 1992. The all-star cast includes Luciano Pavarotti, Samuel Ramey, aolo Coni, Daniela Dessi, Luciana d'Intio, and Alexander Anismov. Riccardo Muti conducts.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Luciano Pavarotti  •  Samuel Ramey  •  Daniela Dessì  •  Paolo Coni

This opera was filmed live at La Scala in 1992. The all-star cast includes Luciano Pavarotti, Samuel Ramey, aolo Coni, Daniela Dessi, Luciana d'Intio, and Alexander Anismov. Riccardo Muti conducts.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Luciano Pavarotti  •  Samuel Ramey  •  Daniela Dessì  •  Paolo Coni

Young Toscanini (1988)

A fanciful biopic of legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini as a very young man.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  C. Thomas Howell  •  Elizabeth Taylor  •  Sophie Ward  •  Pat Heywood

A fanciful biopic of legendary conductor Arturo Toscanini as a very young man.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  C. Thomas Howell  •  Elizabeth Taylor  •  Sophie Ward  •  Pat Heywood

Sparrow (1994)

Catania, Sicilia 1854. A serious epidemic of cholera is hitting the region. Maria a 16 years old novice leaves her convent and returns her home to avoid contamination. Here she finds a difficult situation, in fact her stepmother and her half-sisters prevent Maria ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Angela Bettis  •  Johnathon Schaech  •  Eva Alexander  •  Vanessa Redgrave

Catania, Sicilia 1854. A serious epidemic of cholera is hitting the region. Maria a 16 years old novice leaves her convent and returns her home to avoid contamination. Here she finds a difficult situation, in fact her stepmother and her half-sisters prevent Maria ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Franco Zeffirelli
CAST:  Angela Bettis  •  Johnathon Schaech  •  Eva Alexander  •  Vanessa Redgrave
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