Florinda Bolkan (born Florinda Soares Bulcão; 15 February 1941) is a retired Brazilian actress and model.[1]

Florinda Bolkan
Bolkan in 1973
Born
Florinda Soares Bulcão

(1941-02-15) 15 February 1941 (age 83)
OccupationActress
Years active1968–2020

Early life

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She was born in Uruburetama and lived in Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro until she moved to Italy. A former flight inspector for Brazilian international carrier Varig, she became fluent in English, Italian and French. Bulcão moved to Italy in 1968 after being discovered by the film director Luchino Visconti. She changed her name to Florinda Bolkan because she thought it would be more comfortable for international audiences. [citation needed]

Career

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Bolkan acted with the Beatle Ringo Starr in her first film, Candy. She worked in more than forty films, mainly in Italy. She was directed by Vittorio de Sica in Una Breve Vacanza.[2] Under Elio Petri's direction, she made Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion. Enrico Maria Salerno directed her in Anonimo Veneziano. She worked with Jean-Louis Trintignant, John Cassavetes, and Annie Girardot.

 
Bolkan and Anita Strindberg in A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971)

Like Sophia Loren, Claudia Cardinale and Monica Vitti, she also won the David di Donatello award three times, the Italian equivalent of the Academy Award in Hollywood. When De Sica cast her in Una Breve Vacanza, the film that introduced her to North America, he said: "I chose you because your eyes have known hunger." She replied: "Those born in Ceará bring within themselves a strong and hard share of the real thing." [citation needed]

Personal life

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For 20 years, Bolkan was the life partner of Countess Marina Cicogna,[3][4] producer of Una Breve Vacanza.[1]. In 2000, Bolkan debuted as director in the Brazilian film Eu Não Conhecia Tururu. Besides directing, she also plays a major character in the film.[5] She continues to act in European films, mostly Italian films. Model Sônia Ribeiro, Bolkan's sister, married Willy Bogner Jr. in 1972.

Filmography

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Bolkan in Dear Parents (1973)

Film

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Title Year Role Notes
Candy
1968
Lolita
Una ragazza piuttosto complicata 1969 Greta International title: "A Complicated Girl"
David di Donatello Award for Best Performance
Gli intoccabili Joni Amado International title: "Machine Gun McCain"
Metti, una sera a cena Nina David di Donatello Award for Best Performance
Le voleur de crimes Florinda International title: "Crime Thief"
Un detective Vera Fontana International title: "Detective Belli"
La caduta degli dei (Götterdämmerung) Olga International title: "The Damned"
Indagine su un cittadino al di sopra di ogni sospetto 1970 Augusta Terzi International title: "Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion"
Mafia Connection Rossana Sciortino
Anonimo veneziano Valeria International title: "The Anonymous Venetian"
David di Donatello Award for Best Actress
Una stagione all'inferno Gennet
The Last Valley 1971 Erica
Una lucertola con la pelle di donna Carol Hammond International title: "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin"
Incontro Claudia Ridolfi International title: "Romance"
Le droit d'aimer 1972 Helena
Non si sevizia un paperino Maciara International title: "Don't Torture a Duckling"
Un uomo da rispettare Anna International title: "The Master Touch"
Cari genitori 1973 Giulia Bonanni International title: "Dear Parents"
David di Donatello Award for Best Actress
Una breve vacanza Clara Mataro International title: "A Brief Vacation"
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
New York Film Critics Circle Awards (2nd Place)
Le mouton enragé 1974 Flora Danieli International title: "Love at the Top"
Flavia, la monaca musulmana Flavia Gaetani International title: "Flavia the Heretic"
Le orme 1975 Alice Cespi International title: "Footprints on the Moon"
Royal Flash Lola Montez
Sarajevski atentat Sophie Chotek International title: "The Day That Shook the World"
A Common Sense of Modesty
1976
Loredana Davoli
Die Wölfin vom Teufelsmoor [de]
a.k.a. Tod im November
1978 Walpurga International title: "The Devil's Bed"
La settima donna Sister Cristina International title: "The Last House on the Beach"
Manaos
1979
Manuela Aranda
Habibi, amor mío
1981
Acqua e sapone 1983 Wilma Walsh International title: "Soap and Water"
Legati da tenera amicizia Adelaide
La gabbia
1985
Hélène International title: "The Trap"
Some Girls 1988 Mrs. D'Arc
Prisoner of Rio Stella
Portaritratto per signora
1989
Millions
1991
Margherita
Delitto passionale
1994
Julia Yancheva
L'ombre du pharaon
1995
Bela Donna
1998
Mãe Ana
Eu Não Conhecia Tururu
2000
Eleonora International title: "I Didn't Know Tururu"
Also writer, producer & director
Nominated – Golden Kikito Award for Best Film
Cattive inclinazioni
2003
Mirta Valenti International title: "Bad Inclination"
Magari
2020
Olga International title: "If Only"

Television

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Title Year Role Notes
The Word
1978
Angela Monti Mini-series
La piovra
1984
Olga Camastra Mini-series; 6 episodes
International title: "The Octopus"
Affari di famiglia 1986 Lina Benetti Television film
La piovra, season 2 [it] Olga Camastra Mini-series; 6 episodes
International title: "The Octopus 2"
A Rainha da Vida
1987
Antônia Fidalgo / Jurema Matos Television film
La trappola
1989
Television film
Mademoiselle Ardel
1990
Bianca di Falco Television film
Missione d'amore
1992
Helena Television film
Cherchez la femme 1993 Giovanna Bellocchi Television film
La voyageuse du soir La baronne Television film
La piovra, season 7 [it] 1995 Olga Camastra Mini-series
International title: "The Octopus 7"
L'ombra abitata Mme Labronsky Television film
International title: "Shadow of a Kiss"
Alice auf der Flucht
1998
Elisabetta Mancini Mini-series
Shadows [it]
1999
Kalantan Television film
Un bacio nel buio
2000
Aldina Television film
Incantesimo 5
2002
Corinne Grasso Television series
La notte breve
2005
Magistrato Television film

Awards and nominations

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Year Ceremony Award / Category Nominated work Result
1969 David di Donatello Awards Golden Plate Won
Won
1971 David di Donatello Award for Best Actress Won
1973 Won
1975 New York Film Critics Circle Awards New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Una breve vacanza Runner-up
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Won
2000 Gramado Film Festival Golden Kikito Award for Best Film
Eu Não Conhecia Tururu
Nominated
2002 Roseto First Work Festival Career Rose Won

References

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  1. ^ Biography for Florinda Bolkan, IMDb.com; retrieved 2 December 2011.
  2. ^ Movie Review Una Breve Vacanza (1973) New York Times, 10 February 1975.
  3. ^ Obituary for Countess Marina Cicogna; 31 October 2013; accessed 11 June 2014.
  4. ^ Williams, Alex (10 November 2023). "Marina Cicogna, Italy's First Major Female Film Producer, Dies at 89". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Araújo, Luís Edmundo. "Florinda filma o Ceará" (in Portuguese). Isto É Gente. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
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