On 20th September, Sophia Loren will turn 90. In honor of this milestone, the “Midnight” intellectual project on the Friday! TV channel will dedicate a new week to the legendary Italian actress. From September 16 to 19, a collection of films starring Sophia Loren will be broadcast. All films will air at midnight, without commercials.
Throughout her long career, Sophia Loren has earned numerous awards, including two Oscars, five Golden Globes, and top honors at the Cannes, Venice, and Berlin film festivals, among other prestigious recognitions. She is one of the last living stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
16th September — “Madame Sans-Gêne,” Christian-Jaque, 1961
An adaptation of the play by French dramatist Victorien Sardou. The story is set in 1792 Paris during the Napoleonic Wars. Catherine, a laundress, washes clothes for an unknown lieutenant named Napoleon. After falling in love with one of Napoleon’s soldiers, she abandons everything to follow her beloved. When Napoleon becomes emperor, he grants the couple a noble title and a province to govern. However, the newly made Duchess Catherine remains true to her humble origins, much to the dismay of the nobility.
The film stars Sophia Loren, Robert Hossein, Gianrico Tedeschi, Renaud Mary, Chelina Celia, Analía Gadé, and others.
17th September — “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” Vittorio De Sica, 1963
The film consists of three novellas set in Rome, Milan, and Naples, portraying stories of Italian women who use their charm to achieve what they want. Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni play the leading roles in all three segments.
In 1965, the film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and Marcello Mastroianni received the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor.
18th September — “Marriage Italian Style,” Vittorio De Sica, 1964
An adaptation of Eduardo De Filippo’s play “Filumena Marturano.” The story revolves around a young woman, Filumena, who meets the wealthy and handsome Domenico at a brothel and moves in with him. She becomes the mistress of his house, but Domenico refuses to formalize their relationship. This prompts Filumena to take a desperate step.
The film stars Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Vincenza Di Capua, Marilù Tolo, and others. In 1965, it won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and Sophia Loren was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and received the Silver Prize at the 1965 Moscow International Film Festival for her role.
19th September — “Sunflower,” Vittorio De Sica, 1970
A Soviet-Italian drama directed by Vittorio De Sica, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. Giovanna and Antonio, deeply in love, get married, but soon Antonio is sent to the front. After some time, Antonio is declared missing in action, and Giovanna travels to the Soviet Union in search of her husband. The cast includes Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Lyudmila Savelyeva, Galina Andreyeva, Anna Karina, Nadezhda Cherednichenko, and others. In 1971, the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score.