Akademik

(1889-1970)

   One of Italy's most successful publishers from the early part of the 20th century, Rizzoli moved into film in the mid-1930s, founding the Novella Film company, with which he produced Max Ophiils's La signora di tutti (Everybody's Woman, 1934) and Vittorio De Sica's first film as director, Rose scarlatte (Red Roses, 1940). In the immediate postwar period Rizzoli was involved extensively in both commercial and art house cinema and generously supported several neorealist films that lost money at the box office, including De Sica's Umberto D (1952) and Roberto Rossellini's Francesco, giullare di Dio (Francis, God's Jester, 1950). He was rewarded, however, by the overwhelming commercial and critical success of two of Federico Fellini's key films, La dolce vita (1960) and Otto e mezzo (8V2, 1963).

   Historical Dictionary of Italian Cinema by Alberto Mira