Renzo Rossi

The Life of Leonardo da Vinci

Miniseries dramatizing the life of the Italian Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci.

The Scent of the Night

A former policeman turns full-time robber and goes on a downward spiral of crime in 1970s Rome.

My Mother's Smile

A celebrated painter receives a visit from a cardinal's assistant, who informs him that his mother could become a saint.

Le donne del Tenente Sheridan

Acts of the Apostles

This dramatization from the New Testament originated as a 342-minute, five-part television mini-series; it was subsequently released in a shortened, 280-minute version. In part one, the Apostles call the pilgrims of Jerusalem to be baptized, and Peter (Jacques Dumur) and John (Mohamed Kouka) are arrested by the Sanhedrin but later set free. In part two, Stephen (Zignani Houcine) is stoned for disobeying Mosaic Law, Philip (Bepy Mannaiuolo) baptizes an Ethiopian eunuch, and Saul (Edoardo Torricella) is blinded by the Lord while journeying to Damascus. In part three, Peter baptizes a centurion and Saul, renamed Paul, makes his first mission journey from Antioch in Syria to Pisidian Antioch. In part four, Paul preaches the equality before God of both the circumcised and uncircumcised. In part five, Paul is arrested in Jerusalem and sent to stand trial in Rome.

Alibi

Three friends meeting after the absence of one of them for 15 years out of the country. This sudden gathering give them the opportunity to examine their life, to criticize one another on their achievements.

Black Jesus

A thinly-disguised biography of African leader Patrice Lumumba, here called Lalubi. Lalubi, a Christ-like leader determined to save his people, by passive resistance, from the dictatorial regime propped up by European colonialists, is imprisoned and tortured, along with a thief who comes to a greater understanding through his contact with Lalubi.

Valentina

The stories revolve around the investigations of Valentina Rosselli, and the intrigues in which she gets involved because of her curiosity and her wonderful physical appearance. In the Shareholders She is often assisted by the antiquarian Philip Rembrandt, with whom she shares an ambiguous relationship.

The Blonde

Coming back from work by night, shy watchmaker Tommaso runs over a girl with his car, luckily without serious consequences. Next day he finds her waiting for him at his door. She asks him for help, as she can't remember anything prior to the incident.

Dei

The construction of the film is very simple. Most of the time we see faces in close-up. Three pairs of faces, usually, on three different levels of superimpositions. At first, the faces are very theatrical, made-up. It's not clear whether they are men or women. They move only slightly. They are, indeed, godlike. As the film progresses, very unnoticeably, these faces begin to gain more life and masculine and feminine qualities. At the end of the film, after three hours, the faces are very real, and very human, and sexes and ages are very clearly defined: men, women, children.