Pietro Germi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjɛtro ˈdʒɛrmi]; 14 September 1914 – 5 December 1974) was an Italian actor, screenwriter, and director. Germi was born in Genoa, Liguria, to a lower-middle-class family. He was a messenger and briefly attended nautical school before deciding on a career in acting.He studied acting and directing at Rome's Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. During his time in school, Germi supported himself by working as an extra, bit actor, assistant director, and, on occasion, writer. Germi made his directorial debut in 1945 with the film Il testimone. His early work, this film included, were very much in the Italian Neorealist style; many were social dramas that dealt with contemporary issues pertaining to people of Sicilian heritage.Through the years, Germi shifted away from social drama towards satirical comedies, but retained his loved element of the Sicilian people. In the 1960s, Germi received worldwide success with the films Divorce, Italian Style, Seduced and Abandoned, and The Birds, the Bees and the Italians. He was nominated for Academy Awards in both directing and writing for Divorce, Italian Style, and, subsequently, won in the writing category. He also won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for The Birds, the Bees. His 1968 film Serafino won the Golden Prize at the 6th Moscow International Film Festival.Germi collaborated on the scripts for all the films he directed and appeared as an actor in a few of them. He died in Rome of hepatitis on 5 December 1974.
Leading Italian neo-realist actor/director. Graduate of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome. Initially concerned with socio/political issues in post-war Italy, he also made a series of satirical films about the Mafia and Sicilian social customs. He lampooned Italian divorce laws in his most famous film, 'Divorce, Italian Style'.
2
Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 398-401. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Amici miei
1975
screenplay / story
Alfredo, Alfredo
1972
screenplay / story
A Pocketful of Chestnuts
1970
Serafino
1968
screenplay / story
The Climax
1967
The Birds, the Bees and the Italians
1966
story and screenplay
Sedotta e abbandonata
1964
screenplay / story
Divorce Italian Style
1961
screenplay / story
The Facts of Murder
1959
screenplay
L'uomo di paglia
1958
story / writer
Il ferroviere
1956
screenplay
Black 13
1953
original script
Gelosia
1953
Il brigante di Tacca del Lupo
1952
Four Ways Out
1951
screenplay
The Path of Hope
1950
story
Contro la legge
1950
story
In the Name of the Law
1949
screenplay
Gioventù perduta
1948
screenplay / story
Il testimone
1946
screenplay / story
Ten Commandments
1945
screenplay
Gli ultimi filibustieri
1943
screenplay
Il figlio del corsaro rosso
1943
screenplay
L'amore canta
1941
screenplay
Retroscena
1939
screenplay - as P. Germi
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Alfredo, Alfredo
1972
A Pocketful of Chestnuts
1970
Serafino
1968
The Climax
1967
The Birds, the Bees and the Italians
1966
Sedotta e abbandonata
1964
Divorce Italian Style
1961
The Facts of Murder
1959
L'uomo di paglia
1958
Il ferroviere
1956
Amori di mezzo secolo
1954
segment "Guerra 1915-18"
Gelosia
1953
Mademoiselle Gobete
1952
Il brigante di Tacca del Lupo
1952
Four Ways Out
1951
The Path of Hope
1950
In the Name of the Law
1949
Gioventù perduta
1948
Il testimone
1946
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
E venne un uomo
1965
Pontiff's Father
La viaccia
1961
Stefano
Blood Feud
1961
Lipstick
1960
Commissario Fioresi
5 Branded Women
1960
Partisan commander
The Facts of Murder
1959
Dottor Ingravallo
L'uomo di paglia
1958
Andrea
Il ferroviere
1956
Andrea Marcocci
Fuga in Francia
1948
Tembien
Monte Cassino
1946
Il fornaretto di Venezia
1939
Frate domenicano
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
I giovedì della signora Giulia
1970
TV Mini-Series producer - 5 episodes
Serafino
1968
producer
The Climax
1967
producer
The Birds, the Bees and the Italians
1966
producer
Assistant Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Nessuno torna indietro
1945
assistant director - uncredited
La peccatrice
1940
assistant director - uncredited
Retroscena
1939
assistant director - uncredited
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Alfredo, Alfredo
1972
writer: "Sponsali"
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Marcello, una vita dolce
2006
Documentary acknowledgment
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
V.I.P.-Schaukel
1972
TV Series documentary
Himself
Cinépanorama
1964
TV Series documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dai nostri inviati: La Rai e l'Istituto Luce raccontano la Mostra del cinema di Venezia 1932-1953
2012
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Pupi Avati, ieri, oggi, domani
2010
Il falso bugiardo
2008
Himself
Marcello, una vita dolce
2006
Documentary
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1976
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura)
Amici miei (1975)
1976
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Original Story (Migliore Soggetto)
Amici miei (1975)
1976
Special Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
In memoriam.
1969
Golden Prize
Moscow International Film Festival
Best Feature Film
Serafino (1968)
1967
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, Italy
Best Film (Miglior Film)
Signore & signori (1966)
1967
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura)
Signore & signori (1966)
1966
Palme d'Or
Cannes Film Festival
Signore & signori (1966)
1966
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Production (Migliore Produzione)
Signore & signori (1966)
1966
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Director (Migliore Regista)
Signore & signori (1966)
1965
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura)
Sedotta e abbandonata (1964)
1964
David
David di Donatello Awards
Best Director (Migliore Regista)
Sedotta e abbandonata (1964)
1963
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1962
Award
Cannes Film Festival
Best Comedy (Prix de la meilleure comédie)
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1962
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, Italy
Best Film (Miglior Film)
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1962
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Original Story (Migliore Soggetto)
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1962
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura)
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1962
Sant Jordi
Sant Jordi Awards
Best Foreign Actor (Mejor Actor Extranjero)
Un maledetto imbroglio (1959)
1962
Honorary Award
Thessaloniki Film Festival
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1960
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, Italy
Best Film (Miglior Film)
Un maledetto imbroglio (1959)
1960
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Screenplay (Migliore Sceneggiatura)
Un maledetto imbroglio (1959)
1960
Best Director
Mar del Plata Film Festival
Un maledetto imbroglio (1959)
1959
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Director (Regista del Miglior Film)
L'uomo di paglia (1958)
1957
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Director (Migliore Regia)
Il ferroviere (1956)
1956
OCIC Award - Special Mention
Cannes Film Festival
Il ferroviere (1956)
1956
Unofficial Award
San Sebastián International Film Festival
Best Film - Foreign Film
Il ferroviere (1956)
1956
Unofficial Award
San Sebastián International Film Festival
Best Director - Foreign Film
Il ferroviere (1956)
1952
Challenge Award
German Film Awards
Outstanding Feature Film Promoting Democratic Values
Il cammino della speranza (1950)
1951
Silver Berlin Bear
Berlin International Film Festival
Best Drama
Il cammino della speranza (1950)
1951
Best Italian Film
Venice Film Festival
La città si difende (1951)
1949
Special Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
In nome della legge (1949)
1946
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Original Story (Migliore Soggetto)
Il testimone (1946)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1967
Palme d'Or
Cannes Film Festival
L'immorale (1967)
1967
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Original Story (Migliore Soggetto)
Signore & signori (1966)
1965
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Director (Regista del Miglior Film)
Sedotta e abbandonata (1964)
1965
Silver Ribbon
Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists
Best Original Story (Migliore Soggetto)
Sedotta e abbandonata (1964)
1964
Palme d'Or
Cannes Film Festival
Sedotta e abbandonata (1964)
1963
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Director
Divorzio all'italiana (1961)
1963
DGA Award
Directors Guild of America, USA
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures