New biopic explores fascist appropriation of actress Eleonora Duse

An Italian director has released a personal and atypical biopic about Eleonora Duse, considered one of the greatest actresses in the world and former partner of Gabriele D'Annunzio. No voice recordings of Duse exist; only a few photographs and her sole film, "Cenere" (Ashes) by Febo Mari, shot in 1916, survive. She is said to have performed for the first time at age four, though unverified. Historical records confirm she was Italy's biggest star from the late 19th century through the early 20th century, renowned for her raw emotional power in theaters nationwide. During World War I, she performed for soldiers at the front and the wounded in trenches. She was the most beloved woman in Italy, with the world divided between those who considered her the best actress and those who favored Sarah Bernhardt. The film examines how Mussolini and fascism sought to appropriate her legacy.