The War of the Volcanoes (2012)

  • NR
  • 09/02/2012 (IT)
  • Documentary
  • 52m

Overview

In 1948, a fan letter arrived for director Roberto Rossellini from Ingrid Bergman, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars; after a meeting in New York, Rossellini invited Bergman to Italy to work on a project. Meanwhile, Anna Magnani, one of Italy’s biggest stars and Rossellini’s longtime lover, was furious. When the Rossellini/Bergman project was announced as a tale set on Stromboli, one of the volcanic Aeolian Islands, Magnani quickly set up her own Aeolian project, financed by Hollywood, to be called Volcano. Italy’s tabloids simply went wild: the prospect of these two great divas battling it out with rival productions was breathlessly followed, especially as it became clear that the Rossellini/Bergman relationship was more than professional. Francesco Patierno has created an engrossing, revealing and highly entertaining chronicle of this cinematic battle royal.

Francesco Patierno

Director

Cast

Ingrid Bergman's headshot

Ingrid Bergman

Self (archive footage)
Roberto Rossellini's headshot

Roberto Rossellini

Self (archive footage)
Anna Magnani's headshot

Anna Magnani

Self (archive footage)

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