Ettore Scola, 1931 – 2016

In April 2015, Ettore Scola got the »FIPRESCI 90 Platinum Award« in the Petruzzelli Theater in Bari, Italy. Photo, from left: Enrico Magrelli (Festival), Klaus Eder (FIPRESCI), Ettore Scola, Alin Tasciyan (FIPRESCI).

Letter to
Felice Laudadio
Bari International Film Festival

Dear Felice,

It is with deep dismay that we learn that Ettore Scola has left us.

We remember our last being together, last April in Bari, at the occasion of the Festival and of FIPRESCI’s 90th anniversary. How inspiring he was ! How open-minded towards us critics ! How supportive ! What a wonderful attitude he had: to offer his advice and his cinema experi-ence and knowledge to the festival, as its president.

That he’s no longer with us leaves a big void.

The 41 films he made from the 60s until our days were in the center of Italian cinema and in the center of film-making itself. Films like »A Special Day« (Una giornata particolare), »What Time Is It ?« (Che ora è ?) or »The Dinner« (La cena) embedded an Italian condition in individual stories. His films taught us how difficult, how complex, but also how beautiful and heart-warming everyday life  can be. His films were masterpieces not only of Italian but also of Euro-pean cinema. They are classics of the history of cinema.

A great filmmaker, a wonderful personality left us. His films will stay.

Please forward our deepest sympathy to his wife and his family.

Klaus Eder
FIPRESCI, General Secretary