Monica Vitti Has Died, Farewell to the Queen of Italian Cinema: Dario Franceschini

“Farewell Monica Vitti, farewell to the queen of Italian cinema. Today is truly a sad day, we have lost a great artist and a great Italian,” said the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini in a statement.

Vitti gained international fame with the 1960 drama “L'Avventura,” in which she portrayed a tormented woman who interacts with her lost friend’s lover. Born on November 3, 1931, in Rome, Vitti, whose real name was Maria Luisa Ceciarelli, discovered her passion for theater during World War II when she entertained her family with puppets to alleviate boredom. “When the bombs fell, when we had to find shelter, my little brother and I would put on small performances to entertain those around us,” she recalled years later.

After graduating from the National Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome in 1953, she began her theater career, where she stood out for her comedic talent. She was soon noticed by Michelangelo Antonioni, with whom she quickly developed both artistic and sentimental relationships. “I had the fortune to start my career with a man of great talent,” Vitti said in a 1982 interview with Italian television, adding that he was also “spiritual, full of life and passion.”

Former Italian Minister of Culture Walter Veltroni announced Vitti's death on Twitter. He mentioned that he had been informed by Roberto Russo, Vitti's husband, and expressed his “affection and regret.” The actress, suffering from severe illness, had withdrawn from public life in recent years.