Documentary on Elvira Notari, Italy's first female filmmaker, premieres on Sky Arte

Valerio Ciriaci's documentary 'Elvira Notari – Oltre il silenzio' airs on Sky Arte on Friday, February 13, 2026. The film has been shortlisted for Best Documentary at the David di Donatello Awards 2026. It was presented at the 2025 Venice Film Festival and marks the 150th anniversary of Notari's birth in Salerno in 1875. Notari moved to Naples, married photographer Nicola Notari, and co-founded Dora Film, initially specializing in film coloring before producing independent films. She directed about 60 feature-length films that gained popularity in Naples and Italian-American communities. Her work was suppressed by fascist censorship and centralized cinema industry, leading to loss of most films. Scholars Giuliana Bruno, Vittorio Martinelli, and Mario Franco revived her legacy since the 1970s. Ciriaci describes forming a community around her rediscovery.