The Skin

Born in Carpi, Italy, in 1933, Liliana Cavani is one of the most celebrated Italian filmmakers of the 20th century. After studying classical literature, she trained in directing at Rome’s Experimental Center of Cinematography. She began her career in the 1960s with bold political documentaries for television, before moving into feature films that established her reputation as a daring and uncompromising voice. Cavani’s cinema is intellectual and provocative, probing questions of history, morality, power, and the psychology of politics, often inspired by literature. In 2023, the Venice International Film Festival honored her with its Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.