What a man. What an artist. What a genius. We go back to talking about the maestro Franco Zeffirelli (1923-2019), thanks to the docu-film, in cinemas for three days (from 24 to 26 October), “Franco Zeffirelli. Rebel Conformist“. The documentary was written and directed by Anselma Dell’Olio – author, essayist, historical feminist, wife of the journalist, former editor of the sheet, Giuliano Ferrara – which has already been presented in competition in the “Venezia Classici” section at 79th International Film Festival. Produced by Francesca Verdini and co-produced by Pietro Peligra it is a production “The Red House“(Production company founded by Verdini, very active on social projects) e RS Productionsin collaboration with Rai Cinema and the patronage of the “Franco Zeffirelli Foundation”, which will be distributed in Italian cinemas by RS Productions.
What Anselma Dell’Olio’s docufilm is about
The documentary tells about i topical moments, the turning points and the roller coaster of a brilliant, yet eventful, international career and the daring existence of a great artist. From its origins as nobody’s son to the conquest of international fame as a director, art director, painter, creator of cinema, theater and opera. Through original and vintage interviews with some of the most acclaimed stars who have known, admired and loved him and with his closest family, friends and collaborators, an engaging and exciting story does justice to the person and the artist, as well as ” maestro ”, in all his multiform and even opposite facets. A composite character, which manifests itself in his vast artistic production, but also in his political choices, in his fervent spirituality and love for mystery, in friendships and in legendary controversies with critics and opponents. It comes out a full-fledged portraitwith continuous ups and downs, of an artist who has promoted and honored the highest Italian culture and together more popular in all world capitals for several decades.
The “limp mustache” of criticism and melodrama
“It is the first time that a cinematographic work investigates the many, varied and even opposing professional, cultural and character facets of Franco Zeffirelli – comments the director Anselma Dell’Olio -. I was interested in the differences little known among the vast, singular enchantment which aroused his name in the great cultural capitals of the world and the ba ff or limp with whom he was treated in Italy. With the sole exception of his operas, for which in his country he had a minimal part of the honors, respect, glory and veneration that surrounded him abroad. But even more he interested me the inner life of a convinced Catholic homosexualdiscreet but never covered in a much less liberal era than the present “.
Tuscan and Florentine by birth and by vocation, very close to his city, which he loved and which he made immortal, and to his region, a true Tuscan, one could say that everything has been said about the Maestro. Instead, that’s not true. There was no film – in this case a docufilm – that would tell, in a complete and systematic way, his life, his works, his art. But also, precisely, the relationship with sexuality and, in particular, its claimed homosexuality.
A genius, but also a heretical conservative
Zeffirelli was certainly a real one conservative. From a cultural and social point of view, so though politic. It is no coincidence that he was elected senator in the ranks of FI, personally wanted in that position by Berlusconi, but his was a conservatism like Malaparte, Fallaci. A conservatism, that is, heretic and dissident. This is also demonstrated, and throughout his life, by his equally heretical artistic and personal choices. It would be enough to remember that he has brought the melodrama making it pop. As happens to great artists, especially those who are lucky enough to have a long life, in the tales of the last Zeffirelli, professional choices mixed with private ones in an almost inextricable intertwining. Like the theme of his homosexuality, especially in recent years, in times when it is easier to deal with the subject than those in which the director grew up, who had never, in reality, hidden his humanitywhile preferring a long time do not declareending up synthesizing the cliché of a heretical artist.
A blatant but undeclared homosexuality
“I am homosexual, I am not gay“, Said Zeffirelli for whom the English word would have been“ the fruit of the Puritan culture, a stupid way of calling homosexuals, to indicate them as if they were crazy ”. His Catholic faith did not represent for him a conflict with his own sexuality because “the sin of the flesh “is” such if committed with a man or a woman “. In his approach to LGBTQ issues, which he has also dealt with especially in recent years, there was also a historical and, therefore, political reading: “Being homosexual – he explained in an interview with Espresso in 2013 – is a very serious commitment with ourselves and society. A ancient tradition of high intellectual level “. Zeffirelli was thinking of the Renaissance and the classical era: “In Greek culture the army had great respect for two warriors who were friends and lovers, because in battle they did not only defend their homeland, but also themselves, offering a doubled strength against the enemy”.
A harsh judgment on gay movements
Hers, however, is quite different judgment on contemporary forms, socio-cultural, with which homosexuals approach society and the ways to be recognized. Clear, hard, for example, his opinion on Pride: “Exhibitions really obscene, with all that wagging crowd ”. Also contrary to marriages between homosexuals and to adoptions, Zeffirelli, for which “there is no need to go there to create one ‘legal’ pseudo-family nonsense, for me ridiculous and unacceptable. Just settle things between civilized people: if we live together and maybe buy a house, we also clarify the issues of quotas, between intelligent people who love each other “. In short, at the most tolerated civil unions by Renzi. The director also raised an age question on the subject. Remembering that he has many gay friends who live in couples, he specified however that these are “mature, thoughtful choices. At a younger age, we take each other, we part with great ease: there is no bond of consecration and we tend to slip away. It is an inconstant world ”. After all, however, even the Genius – and his genius too – was inconstant. As befits an artist.
“I’m homosexual, not gay!”: The relationship of maestro Franco Zeffirelli with sexuality