Film Screening

Guest speakers; Valerio Ciriaci (Film Director), Stefano Albertini (Director Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, NYU, NY), Rossella Catanese (NYU Florence Faculty). Introduced by Federica Anichini (NYU Florence Faculty)

Who was Elvira Notari, Italy’s first female filmmaker, almost erased from film history? This documentary by Valerio Ciriaci restores her legacy, tracing her pioneering work in early Neapolitan cinema, her bold depictions of women and the working class, and the censorship that silenced her. A conversation with the director and scholars will follow.

In collaboration with Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, NYU.

(90′ screening followed by a conversation. Documentary has some audio in Italian with English subtitles.)

Director’s Statement

Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence

I first encountered Elvira Notari’s story in New York while finishing a documentary on an Italian American theatrical impresario and the immigrant audiences who frequented his theaters in the early 1900s. Among the most popular shows were silent films from Naples, and one name in particular stood out: Dora Film, a family-run company directed by Elvira Notari. Her films, with their distinctive cinematic language steeped in popular tradition, competed with the grand historical epics coming out of Turin and Rome.

As I dug deeper, Elvira’s story drew me in further, its urgency magnified by everything that was missing. All that remained of her seemed to be a single photograph, three surviving films, and no personal writings. I was struck by how she had been pushed to the margins—first by the Fascist regime’s censorship and later by historical neglect. My search eventually led me to Naples, where I met producer Antonella Di Nocera, who had long envisioned a film that would finally give Elvira the recognition she deserved. That meeting sparked a transatlantic collaboration to piece together the scattered fragments of her life across distant archives, continents, and historical periods.

Along the way, we realized we weren’t alone in this search. The very elements that once led to her silencing—her position as a woman in a male-dominated industry, her outsider approach to filmmaking, and her connection to street life and the migrant experience—resonate powerfully in today’s cultural landscape. Contemporary artists are now reengaging with Elvira’s legacy, reimagining her stories across multiple disciplines. These voices revealed the gaps in her story not to be limitations, but opportunities for creative reinvention and expansion.

Today, Elvira is more than just an overlooked name from early cinema. She has become a symbol, her influence carried forward by a growing community of passionate scholars and artists who see themselves reflected in her world. Once a shadow at the margins of film history, she has reemerged as a vibrant, living presence. We see this film as part of that revival: a tribute, a conversation, and an invitation to take part in shaping a new shared memory around this remarkable historical figure.

– Valerio Ciriaci