Anna Marchesini, the female face of the famous trio Lopez-Marchesini-Solenghi, has been awarded the prize established in memory of Massimo Troisi by MareFestival Salina. [2]

“For her brilliant talent representative of the finest Italian comic sense and for being a model of vitality and optimism” said the Festival artistic director Massimiliano Cavalieri when awarding the prize at the prestigious National Academy of Dramatic Art “Silvia D’Amico”.

The actress, who for years has been afflicted by acute rheumatoid arthritis, in a recent  television interview has proclaimed her love for life. “I’m so interested in and morbidly avid of life, that I am even interested in it’s ending, death”. Despite the age and the challenges of her disease she has never given in to sadness and self-pity, and really never lost the wit that marked her success with Massimo Lopez and Tullio Solenghi.
 

The entertaining characters she brought to life in the 80s and 90s, like Lollo (Gina Lollobrigida), Bella Figheira, Rita Levi Montalcini, just to mention some, are still vivid in the memory of the Italian TV audience. Her career, TV aside, stretches from radio and theatrical productions to dubbing and book writing.

When awarded the prize this is how Anna Marchesini honored Massimo Troisi’s memory: “I was deeply moved when I heard I was the recipient of this Prize. He is the most exquisite example of emotional, comical and linguistic intelligence. His body language was at disposal of music, literature and creativity. There are rare actors and unique actors: Troisi is a unique exponent of the humanity and sacredness of this profession.”

The actual prize consists of an original poster of the movie “Il Postino” carved as a bas relief by the resin artist Antonello Arena.

“Il Postino” (The Postman), directed by Michael Radford in 1994, received five nominations and won the Academy Award for best music.

The movie, a dramatic blend of poetry, natural beauty and moving simplicity, had wide international success that Massimo did not have time to enjoy.

In fact he died, exactly 20 years ago, from a fatal heart attack a few hours after finishing shooting the movie ‘Il Postino’ on the Aeolian island of Salina. The island, who offered a beautiful and poetical background to the bike rides of Mario Ruoppolo, the Postman, will always be inescapably connected with the movie and it’s artistic legacy.

As for Massimo, who knew very well he needed an urgent heart transplant at the time the movie was being shot, this is what he used to say to those close to him who wanted to postpone the filming: “No, I want to make this movie with my heart”. And he did.