The coffin of Paolo Taviani, the director who passed away on February 29th and whose secular funeral is being celebrated in the Protomoteca room, has arrived at the Capitol. The coffin was welcomed by relatives including his children Ermanno and Valentina as well as the mayor Roberto Gualtieri wrapped in the tricolor sash, journalists, friends and colleagues.
It opens to the tune of “Leonora addio” by Nicola Piovani, while the images of the director on the set of his children appear on the set together with his brother Vittorio and the many actors who worked with him, the secular ceremony in the Protomoteca room in the Campidoglio for the final farewell to Paolo Taviani, director who passed away on 29 February at the age of 92. Near the coffin, on the left side, the relatives – the children Ermanno Valentina and the various grandchildren – the mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri and the councilor for culture Miguel Gotor.
Friends, actors, colleagues and many admirers in the Protomoteca room in the Campidoglio for the last farewell to Paolo Taviani. To greet the director, among many also the directors Pupi Avati and Nanni Moretti. The latter, visibly moved, always said he was indebted to the Taviani brothers for his cinema and chose the name of his other ego from the first films, Michele Apicella, dedicating it to the Taviani brothers' film, “San Michele had a rooster”.
Taviani: son, last wish to say “Motor! Action!”
«Dad worked until the end on the preparation of the new film, “The Song of the Jellyfish”. His last wish until the end was to be able to say just two words: 'Engine! Action!”. Ermanno Taviani says this in the last speech at the secular ceremony of his father Paolo who passed away on 29 February.
Looker, lucky to die while working
«In remembering Paolo I think of another who left the front line. I mean 'front line' literally because there are no others ahead of us who are next to leave. I share with his closest relatives my pain inferior to them and to all those who loved him and who were close to him out of friendship.” Marco Bellocchio says this while speaking at the secular ceremony for Paolo Taviani in the Campidoglio.
«Paolo died at work, not because of work – adds the director – he died working: he was about to start the film in a few weeks and it will undoubtedly be a cause of suffering for those who had to participate, but closing at 92 years old, in full activity , is a conclusion that I hope for with all my heart. Finally, I remember the artist who made beautiful films, masterpieces with Vittorio – says Bellocchio – often combining poetry, history and literature, a combination that gave the most beautiful results. Theirs is a compact, unique filmography, recognizable in all their films. Starting from the great story, they told of a human communism in which they had believed, revolutions almost always defeated by life; they knew how to be original, merging their memories with the great universal history in that rigorous alternation behind the camera which has always been a mystery to me, without ever wanting to show off their skill as directors often do.”
«I think they will win the test of time, not for eternity which I don't believe in, but they will remain over time more than many presumed geniuses that fashion first consecrated and then abandoned – he continues – there is an artistic father, a master who inspired them: it was Roberto Rossellini who understood their originality and rewarded them at Cannes. With that film, 'Padre Padronè', they also won over the public. A success that is a reward for their freedom and coherence”, he concludes.