30 August 2024

The "Dive & Godmothers" exhibition in Venice

A female photographic journey through Italian cinema on display in the lobby of the Hotel Excelsior during the 81st Venice Film Festival

An author's look at a past that still lives, a dialogue between yesterday's movie stars and new icons of the Italian big screen: this is how the "Dive & Godmothers" exhibition was born, scheduled from August 28 to September 7, during the 81st Venice International Film Festival on the Lido of Venice. The exhibition will be hosted in the lobby of the Hotel Excelsior, the heart of the international event.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Luce Cinecittà Archive, with the curatorship of the Undersecretary for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni and Chiara Sbarigia, President of Cinecittà, this photographic exhibition celebrates the history of Italian cinema through the images of eight great divas of the past, immortalized by the Luce Archive and other historical archives.

Eight contemporary actresses, who have played the role of godmothers in previous editions of the Venice Film Festival, reinterpret them wearing clothes from the most prestigious Italian fashion houses, in a series of shots taken by photographer Uli Weber, thus celebrating Made in Italy through a fusion of fashion, costume and cinema.

Weber's shots are set in Cinecittà, an iconic place and symbol of Italian cinema in the world. The studios, the large outdoor sets, the park and the exhibition facilities welcomed the protagonists, creating a bridge between history and contemporaneity, where the art and entertainment of the past coexist with today's great productions.

The photographic narrative thus unites Silvana Mangano, played by Kasia Smutniak, Sophia Loren evoked by Caterina Murino, and Sonia Bergamasco in the role of Alida Valli. Rocio Morales plays Stefania Sandrelli, while Serena Rossi gives life to Claudia Cardinale. The charm of Virna Lisi is reflected in Vittoria Puccini, and the enchantment of Mariangela Melato lives on in the eyes of Anna Foglietta. The charm of Monica Vitti, reinterpreted by Sveva Alviti, completes the whole.

The clothes worn are by Giorgio Armani, Armani Privè, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Alberta Ferretti, Versace and N21 by Alessandro dell'Acqua while the jewels are by Cartier.

To complete the project, a catalogue published by Electa, MiC and Archivio Luce Cinecittà, in a bilingual Italian/English edition, with texts by Lucia Borgonzoni, Chiara Sbarigia and Uli Weber, accompanied by Weber's shots and images from the Luce Archives, Magnum, Reporters & Associati and Getty Images, available in bookstores from 28 August.

Edited by the editorial staff, Avion Tourism Magazine

Text source and photo: Exhibition Press Office

What to see in Venice

Discover Venice

Partnership with Skyscanner

Flights

Partnership with Booking.com

Hotels in Venice