MARCH, 2021

by M. Avveduto

RMoraldo Rossi left us on March 21st, just a few days ago.
He was an Italian screenwriter and director.
Born in Venice on 7 May 1926, after abandoning his engineering studies he left the Venetian province and moved to Rome.
Transferred to the capital, he met and met the great Federico Fellini, of whom he became assistant director and inspector of numerous characters in his films.
It was precisely Moraldo who inspired Federico Fellini for the character of "Moraldo" from the film "I Vitelloni", the character of the "Fool" from the film "La Strada" and finally the protagonist of the film "Moraldo in the city", quest last ever made by Fellini.
Moraldo Rossi was also a television director and has directed over a thousand carousels.
Rossi is the brother of the actress Cosetta Greco who participated in numerous important films including "Cronache del '22" which sees his brother Moraldo direct an episode entitled "The Devil's Tail" dated 1964.
As a screenwriter, however, he wrote the screenplays for "Young rogue" directed by Giuseppe Vari (1958), "Giacobbe ed Esau" directed by Mario Landi (1963), "Una filthy affair" directed by Roberto Mauri (1967), "Il trionfo di Robin Hood "directed by Umberto Lenzi (1969)," 15 forks for a murderer "directed by Nunzio Malasomma and" L'Attico "directed by Gianni Puccini (1961).
He was assistant director of Federico Fellini in the films "Lo sheicco bianco", "I vitelloni", "La strada", "Il bidone" and "Le notte di Cabiria".
While he has always worked as assistant director in Giovanni Paolucci's "La tua donna", Giorgio Bianchi's "Brevi amori a Palma di Majorca" and Carlo Vanzina's "Vacanze di Natale".
He has published numerous books including "Sogna Federico Sogna, that my only wicked friend", "The sixth vitellone" with Tati Sanguinetti, "Lettere a Cosetta", "Federico Fellini's Tuscia set" and "Tutto Fellini".
The most famous phrase: << I was a friend of Federico Fellini and he dedicated a character to me. Without Moraldo there would have been no bulls, and Moraldo was me! >>.
Director Annarita Campo had the honor of personally meeting the great Moraldo Rossi.
It was March 2005 when at the Studios in Rome, the famous cinemas, the director Campo was editing her latest film "In the heart of a diva" with Sandra Milo.
Suddenly the intercom of the building where the editing room was located rings and the great Moraldo Rossi who had contacted the owner of the editing room asking if it was true that the director Campo was there to edit one of his films.
The meeting was exciting, from the story of Campo, Moraldo Rossi asked her permission to enter the room where she was with extreme kindness, grace and sweetness.
<< I still remember that smile >>, says Campo,
she introduced herself and told me that she had heard very well about me and my talent and that he wanted her to see even just one scene of my film. I let him in and gave him my chair and I stood behind him. I motioned for the editor to show him the last scenes of my film. Moraldo stood there while he stared at the screen in which the scenes followed one another. After about twenty minutes the editing is interrupted and Moraldo remains silent. From behind his back I do not deny that I was trembling because I feared his judgment. I had grown up with Fellini's films and his judgment for me was the most important thing ever.
He stood up and turned to me. He had shining eyes that let his emotion show through him in seeing those scenes. She applauded me and told me that in those scenes she was reviewing the way of working of his friend Federico. And then she hugged me. I do not deny that his eyes turned bright to me too after hearing those words. I wanted to capture that moment with a photo. That was one of the best moments of my life. In that photo you can see the great esteem and admiration that Moraldo had for me! >>.
Another piece of Italian cinema history goes away with Moraldo Rossi.