original title:
Elvira Notari. Oltre il silenzio
directed by:
cinematography:
Isaak Liptzin
editing:
music:
producer:
Antonella Di Nocera, Mila Tenaglia, Isaak Liptzin
production:
Parallelo 41, Luce Cinecittà, Awen Films
distribution:
world sales:
country:
Italy / USA
year:
2025
film run:
94'
format:
colour
release date:
13/10/2025
festivals & awards:
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.