Actress Valentina Cortese dies at 96 in Milan, muse to artists Rebecca Horn and Francesco Vezzoli

Valentina Cortese, an Italian actress hailing from Milan, passed away in her hometown at the age of 96. Born in 1923, her extensive career encompassed cinema, theatre, and television, beginning in the 1940s. She made her acting debut in Luigi Pirandello's 'Ma non è una cosa seria' (1945) and collaborated with renowned directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni, whose 1955 film 'Le amiche' garnered her a Nastro d'Argento, and Federico Fellini. Cortese was also seen in Cinepanettone comedies and poliziotteschi films. On television, she featured in 'La formula mancata' and 'I promessi sposi.' Additionally, she appeared in Rebecca Horn's 1981 film 'La ferdinanda' and inspired Francesco Vezzoli's 'An embroidered trilogy' (1997), which critic Giorgio Verzotti praised for its innovative approach to television language.