Elvira Notari

Despite directing hundreds of silent films that captivated audiences from Naples to New York, Elvira Notari was relegated to the margins of film history for half a century. A pioneer of Neapolitan cinema, she created over sixty features blending popular culture and unvarnished realism. Silenced by Fascist censorship and the advent of sound, her work slipped into obscurity. Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence traces her legacy and the artists now bringing her vision back to life.

Elvira Notari(Italy's earliest and most prolific female filmmaker)'s first film

Lost Dora Film production based on the hagiographical tale of Saint Pellegrino

In order to conquer Margaretella with expensive presents, a young man called Tore steals his mother's jewels but Margaretella seems to prefer Carluccio who challenges Tore to a duel and wounds him. Forgiven by his mother just before she dies, Tore takes revenge by killing Margaretella, but even in prison he can't stop thinking to his victim.

In order to conquer Margaretella with expensive presents, a young man called Tore steals his mother's jewels but Margaretella seems to prefer Carluccio who challenges Tore to a duel and wounds him. Forgiven by his mother just before she dies, Tore takes revenge by killing Margaretella, but even in prison he can't stop thinking to his victim.

Lost Gennariello Film production based on the song "Piange Pierrot" by Cesare Andrea Bixio

Nanninella, a young girl, is exploited and abused by her father, whom she maintains with her waitress salary. She falls madly in love with Tore, a handsome and upright man, whose friend Carluccio plots to have Nanninella for himself. Based on a popular Neapolitan song, ‘A Santanotte is the earliest extant feature film by Elvira Notari, Italy's first and most prolific female filmmaker.

Lost Film Dora Production

Maria, a destitute madwoman dies in a fire at the insane asylum. The unwanted corpse of her is donated to the academy for an anatomy lesson. The film ends in the anatomy dissection theatre, where the female body lies on the table surrounded by male doctors and students.

Lost Dora Film production

Lost Dora Film production

Lost Dora Film production based on a Neapolitan popular song

Lost Dora Film based on the 1906 song of the same title by Salvatore Gambardella, with music by Ernesto Murolo.

Lost Dora Film production

Lost Film Dora production

Lost Gennariello Films production

Carmela becomes the obsession of the young Count Luigi, heir to the recently deceased's estate, who moves into the decrepit villa nearby. The count is an inveterate womanizer and ends up snatching Carmela from her boyfriend, deceiving her with his lies. Wounded in a duel over another woman, the nobleman is assisted night and day by Carmela, who witnesses a number of moments of delirium in which the man accuses the butler, Giangrande, of an unspecified blunder.

Lost Dora Film production based on the novel by Francesco Mastriani

Lost Dora Film based on a novel by Carolina Invernizio

Only a fragment of this film survives (175m from the original 1820m).

Only a fragment of this film survives (175m from the original 1820m).

A feature film by Elvira Notari, Italy's earliest and most prolific female filmmaker.

A feature film by Elvira Notari, Italy's earliest and most prolific female filmmaker.

Lost Dora Film production based on the 1853 drama "Gabriele il lampionaio di porto" by Nicola de Lise

Lost Film Dora production

Lost Dora Film based on the song "Carcere" by Libero Bovio