TUTTI DE SICA
Filmmaker & Actor

The trunk of memories belonging to his children, Emi, Manuel, and Christian De Sica, opens to reveal a collection of unique images, on-and-off-set photos, cult objects, and personal effects, now on display in the newly renovated exhibition space at Galleria Modernissimo. This exhibition, produced by the Cineteca di Bologna, honours the life and art of a true innovator, Vittorio De Sica. It features twenty original posters, around 400 photographs, videos, costumes, personal documents, the Oscars that crowned his films, and even the most famous bicycle in Italian cinema.

The collection tells the story of De Sica not just as a director and actor, but as a singer, showman, and private individual. The journey begins with his early success in Mario Mattoli’s Za Bum show business, followed by his rise to fame through his recordings. It traces his transition from theatre to cinema in the 1930s and explores his establishment as the father of Italian neo-realism in the 1940s with masterpieces such as Sciuscià, Ladri di biciclette, Miracolo a Milano, and Umberto D.

The exhibition also delves into his relationship with politics, particularly his ties to Andreotti in postwar Italy during the 1950s. It highlights his collaborations with Cesare Zavattini and Sophia Loren, weaving through his life and career, and culminates with a reflection on De Sica’s profound artistic legacy.

At the end of June 2024, with the beginning of the 38th edition of the festival Il Cinema Ritrovato, the new access to the spaces of the Cinema Modernissimo and the Modernissimo Exhibition Gallery was inaugurated: through the ‘Pensilina’, located in the centre of Piazza Re Enzo, it is possible to access by descending the stairs or by using the lift.

People with motor and sensory disabilities can get in contact with us to organise assistance to access the premises by writing to biglietteriamodernissimo@cineteca.bologna.it or calling (+39) 051 2194150.