Italian cinema from the forties through the sixties spawned some of the most affecting, stunning silver screen actresses of all time, spurred by male directors’ devotion to their muses from Roberto Rossellini’s obsession with Ingrid Bergman to Fellini’s inspiration Giulietta Masina to Antonioni’s enduring love and respect for Monica Vitti. From a new list of “Beautiful Women in Film: 5 Best Italian Lesbian Movies,” on Cinema Junkies, it would appear that gorgeous women spouting Italian still captivate, although perhaps for different reasons than they did in Fellini’s hey-day, as Cinema Junkie’s encapsulation of its first film on the list offers this viewing advice, “If it is nudity that you want, Viola di Mare has some great breast scenes."
While I'm not exactly sure what constitutes a "great breast scene," a list of lesbian films is always worth a gander, especially when all but one on the list are unfamiliar to this supposed Italian cinema / queer film canon junkie. Making the cut of the “5 Best Italian Lesbian Movies,” is 2009’s Viola di Mare --remember, 'great breasts'-- directed by Donatella Maiorca, about female best friends falling in love in a 19th village. An Italian language film that features lesbians falling in love in period clothing? That’s Amore!
Next up is Scarlet Diva (2000), loosely based on wild child Asia Argento’s –- daughter of acclaimed Italian horror director Dario Argento -- life. Asia Argento also directs and stars in the film, which boasts at least one hot sex scene with another woman, according to Cinema Junkies.
Also making the cut is Shelter Me, Marco S. Puccioni’s 2007 film that stars Maria de Medeiros, famous for asking for blueberry pancakes for breakfast in Pulp Fiction and for her on-screen trysts with Uma Thurman as Anais Nin in Henry and June. Medeiros plays a factory owner who falls for one of her female employees, who also happens to be a decade younger.
Rounding out the list are Gasoline, a lesbians on-the-run road movie from 2001, and No End, a film festival favorite from 2009 that tells the story of a lesbian couple that moves from Italy to Holland to have a baby as Italian law allows only heterosexual couples to use artificial insemination.
Check out Cinema Junkies’ take on its list of “Beautiful Women in Film: 5 Best Italian Lesbian Movies here, although I’m intrigued to know what would make the cut if the criteria Italian lesbian-themed films starring slightly less-than beautiful actresses.
