Bud Spencer and Ermanno Olmi in 2004

Ermanno Olmi, visionary Italian director, screenwriter and writer, has died today 7th May 2018.

Born in Bergamo in 1931, Ermanno Olmi grew up in modest circumstances and followed a classical arts study pathway before turning to filmmaking in 1961. To celebrate his long established career as one of the most prestigious figures in Italian cinema, in 2004 he was awarded in Locarno with the Pardo d’onore.

His directing career has been studded with awards: at Cannes he won the Golden Palm in 1978 for The Tree of Wooden Clogs and at Venice he won the Silver Lion in 1987 for Long Live the Lady! and the Golden Lion in 1988 for The Legend of the Holy Drinker. His path often crossed the Locarno Festival’s, which screens showed films like La circostanza in 1974, L’albero degli zoccoli in 1978, Cammina cammina in 1983, and many more.