ELVIRA NOTARI: BEYOND SILENCE
Upcoming Release  |  89’  |  Italy/USA




"Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence" is a feature documentary chronicling the life and work of Elvira Notari (1875-1946), Italy's first woman film director. Despite directing hundreds of silent films that captivated from Naples to New York, Elvira was relegated to the margins of film history for half a century. Her films, poised between realism and staged drama, were deeply rooted in Neapolitan folklore. A woman in a man’s world, her works were targeted by Fascist censorship yet found the embrace of audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. The documentary interweaves voices of those who celebrate her legacy today – from the experts who rediscovered her films to
contemporary artists reimagining her vision through new works – to resurrect Elvira’s singular vision. More than a biography, "Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence" is a prismatic portrait of an artist who continues to inspire new creative pathways.

Awen Films in co-production with Parallelo 41 Produzioni and Cinecittà, and support from the Italian Ministry of CultureFilm Commission Regione Campania and Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at NYU.

PRESENTED AT

Visioni dal Mondo - Visioni Incontra
San Sebastian Lau Haizetara - Documentary Co-production Forum
Bio to B - Pitching Forum


TEAM

Director: Valerio Ciriaci
Producer (Parallelo 41): Antonella Di Nocera
Co-Producers (Awen Films): Isaak Liptzin, Valerio Ciriaci
Associate Producer: Mila Tenaglia
Cinematographer: Isaak Liptzin
Editor: Francesca Sofia Allegra
Additional Editing & VFX: Giovanni Pompetti
Original Score: Silvia Cignoli
Archival Producer: Marianna Paladini