Goodbye to Fulvio Lucisano, the last great producer

He passed away at the age of 98 Fulvio Lucisanohistoric film producer and pillar of the Italian audiovisual industry. His daughter Paola broke the news through a message on social networks, sharing the tribute of the journalist Sergio Fabi who remembered him as “the King of producers who was still alive, the last of the great producers who truly made the history of great cinema”.

Over 60 years of cinema history

Born in Rome on August 1, 1928, Lucisano has spanned over sixty years of history of the seventh art with a visionary entrepreneurial intuition that has allowed him to cross various eras and range across multiple genres.

After his first experiences with the Istituto Luce, he founded the Italian International Film (IIF)transforming it into one of the most solid and influential independent production and distribution companies on the national scene, whose legacy is today carried forward by his daughters Federica and Paola.

I premi

With an impressive career of over 600 films produced and distributed, Lucisano has been able to range across every genre, collecting 5 David by Donatello including the award for The Big Watermelon and the David Speciale for Lifetime Achievement in 2009, 4 Silver Ribbonsnominates her Knight of Labor e two Oscar nominations.

His name remains linked to collaborations with the greatest masters of Italian cinema, from Lina Wertmuller to Luigi Comencini, from Alberto Sordi and Luciano Salce to the cult works of Mario Bava. It was Lucisano himself who was the first to believe in the genius of Massimo Troisi, producing his dazzling debut in 1981 with “Ricomincio da tre”.

Over the years his production company has signed milestones of dramatic and auteur cinema such as “A boy from Calabria” (1987), The great watermelon (1993) and “Ninfa plebea” (1996), up to intercepting the taste of modern pop comedy with directors such as Fausto Brizzi (Night before the exams) and Massimiliano Bruno (Nobody can judge me, Nothing remains but crime)

Edoardo Leo at AGI: “He bet on me as a director”

“I had the pleasure of being produced for many years by Fulvio Lucisano and his family. I worked with them for more than 10 years and I feel huge disappointment for the passing of Fulvio”. Those words spoken at AGI are full of gratitude Edoardo Leoremembering the film producer Fulvio Lucisano. “They bet and invested in my work like director when I had only made a small debut and they allowed me to make the films I wanted and I will be grateful to them forever”concluded the actor.

Rutelli: “It will live in memory and inexhaustible images”

Words of affection and condolences also came from Francesco Rutelli, who, remembering the deceased producer, underlined: “Fulvio Lucisano: almost one hundred years of life, tireless discoverer of talent and passionate entrepreneur and dreamer. He was a unique charactera precious friend. His legacy, thanks to Federica, president of the ANICA producers, and Paola, both creators of great cinema and television successes, will live on in memory and in images that they will never run out“. The two had been part of the together Board of Directors of Cinecittà Studios.

Gassmann: “The last producer of the old guard is leaving”

“A direct and decisive intelligence, with the intuitive simplicity typical of the great producers of the past. Perhaps the last of the old great guard of Italian producers”. With these words on social media, also the actor and director Alessandro Gassmann he remembered it. “A great cinema great passes away”, Gassmann then underlined. “I had the opportunity to know him and work for his company. A warm hug goes to his daughters and his family.”