Tonino Guerra
Tonino Guerra was a prominent Italian poet, novelist, and screenwriter, born on March 16, 1920, in Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, Italy. His early education led him to become an elementary school teacher, but his life took a dramatic turn when he was imprisoned in a German concentration camp during World War II. It was during this challenging time that Guerra began writing poetry in the local Ramagnol dialect. After the war, he published his first poetry collection in 1946 and graduated with a degree in education.
Guerra moved to Rome in the early 1950s, where he embarked on a fruitful collaboration with celebrated directors, contributing to notable films like Michelangelo Antonioni’s *L’avventura*. Throughout his career, he worked with many influential filmmakers and maintained a robust literary output, including acclaimed poetry collections and novels. His work earned him numerous prestigious awards, highlighting his versatility and mastery in storytelling across different mediums. Guerra's writing is characterized by its deep connection to Italian culture and the unique dialect of his hometown, reflecting the social realities of Italian life.
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Tonino Guerra
- Born: March 16, 1920
- Birthplace: Sant'Arcangel di Romagna, Italy
Biography
Antonio (later known as Tonino) Guerra was born on March 16, 1920, in Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna, Italy, a town near Ravenna. He attended school in his hometown and later became an elementary school teacher. In 1943, he was arrested by the Fascists and sent to a German concentration camp. While imprisoned, he began writing poetry in the Ramagnol dialect of his hometown. Returning to Italy, he published his first book of poems in dialect, I scarabócc, in 1946. He also graduated from the University of Urbino with a degree in education in the same year. In 1950, he published another poetry collection, La s-ciuptèda, and the collection Lunario appeared in 1954.
Guerra moved to Rome around 1953 and began long and successful collaborations with some of the most important Italian film directors of the twentieth century. His first screenplay was for the film Uomini e lupi, directed by Giuseppe De Santis. In 1960, he began working with director Michelangelo Antonioni, writing the screenplay for L’avventura. Over the years, Guerra also has worked with directors Francesco Rosi, Federico Fellini, Elio Petri, Mario Monicelli, and Vittorio De Sica, among others.
While working steadily as a screenwriter, Guerra also continued his prolific career as a novelist and poet. In 1972, I bu: Poesie romagnole, a collection of dialect poems, received widespread acclaim. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Guerra published numerous books, including four long poems in the Romagnol dialect: Il miele,La capanna,Il viaggio, and Il libro delle chiese abbandonate.
Guerra’s accomplishments are evident from the number of important awards he has received for his work in a variety of genres. In 1969, he received the Premio Argentario for his novel, L’uomo parellelo. Other awards include the Premio Friulano, Premio Biella, Premio Gazzano, Premio Nonino, Premio Comisso, and Premio Pasolini. Guerra also has been the subject of two documentaries. Critics universally praise his writing, noting that he is able to adapt his screenplays to the vision of the director with whom he works.
In poetry, in prose, and in cinema, Guerra has proven himself to be a master storyteller. His vision of the world is quintessentially Italian; he writes in the dialect of his birth, using those cadences and memories that reveal the social reality of Italian life.