Wertmüller, Lina (1928–)

Italian filmmaker. Name variations: Lina Wertmuller; (pseudonyms) Nathan Wich, George H. Brown. Pronunciation: VERT-mew-ler. Born Arcangela Felice Assunta Wertmüller von Elgg Español von Brauchich, Aug 14, 1928, in Rome, Italy; dau. of Frederico Wertmüller (lawyer) and Maria (Santamaria) Wertmüller; m. Enrico Job (art director), in 1968; no children.

Award-winning film-maker and writer whose stylish and often controversial films made her one of the 1st women directors to achieve international acclaim; worked as assistant director for Federico Fellini for film 8 1/2 (1962); directed her own script of The Lizards, for which she received the Silver Sail at Locarno Film Festival (1963); 2nd film, Let's Talk About Men, garnered a Silver Ribbon for its male lead, Nino Manfredi (1965); wrote and directed The Seduction of Mimi (1971), starring Giancarlo Giannini, which received Best Director Award at Cannes (1972), followed by the much-lauded Love and Anarchy, also starring Giannini (1972); also wrote script for Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972); had another smash hit with Swept Away … by an Unusual Destiny in the Blue Sea of August (1975); wrote and directed Seven Beauties which received 4 American Academy Award nominations: Best Foreign Film, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Screenplay (1976); also wrote, directed and produced for theater, tv and radio; other films include Belle Starr (1968), All Screwed Up (1974), The End of the World in Our Usual Bed in a Night Full of Rain (1977), Blood Feud (Revenge, 1978), A Jealous Man (1984), Complicated Intrigue of Back Alleys and Crimes (1985), A Summer Night (1986), To Save Nine (1989), Saturday, Sunday and Monday (1990), Ciao Professore (1992), Ferdinando e Carolina (1999) and Peperoni ripieni e pesci in faccia (2004).

See also autobiography (in Italian) Avrei Voluto Uno Zio Esibizionista; and Women in World History.