Italian film icon Lina Wertmüller dies at 93

Lina Wertmüller, the first woman ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, died in Rome at age 93. The news was announced by Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri via Twitter, who called her "a great director who made films full of irony and intelligence." Born in 1928, Wertmüller began her career as a puppet theater director under Maria Signorelli, then wrote for radio and television, including the cult series "Giornalino di Giamburrasca" (1964-65). She learned filmmaking on the sets of Federico Fellini. Her breakthrough came in 1972 with "Mimì metallurgico ferito nell'onore," which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and launched her artistic partnership with actor Giancarlo Giannini. Her most famous film, "Pasqualino settebellezze" (1976), earned her the historic Oscar nomination. Other notable works include "Film d'amore e d'anarchia," "Travolti da un insolito destino nell'azzurro mare d'agosto," and "Tutto a posto e niente in ordine." In the 1990s she collaborated with Sophia Loren on "Sabato, domenica e lunedì" and with Paolo Villaggio on "Io speriamo che me la cavo." She also voiced a character in Disney's "Mulan" and appeared in "Benvenuto Presidente" by Riccardo Milani. Wertmüller was married to set designer Enrico Job, with whom she adopted a daughter, Maria Zulima. Her death marks the end of an era in Italian cinema.