Carlo Mazzacurati

March 2, 1956 — Padua, Veneto, Italy

Carlo Mazzacurati (2 March 1956 – 22 January 2014) was an Italian film director and screenwriter from Padua. His native Po valley was often featured in his movies. He made his directorial debut with Notte italiana (1987) and co-wrote Daniele Luchetti's It's Happening Tomorrow (1989)—both produced by Nanni Moretti—before gaining recognition on his own with social dramas Il toro (1994) and Vesna va veloce (1996), the former earning him the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Starting with La lingua del santo (2000), Mazzacurati's work entered a more mainstream, comedic field, albeit retaining its bittersweet character studies. A notable exception was The Right Distance (2008), which marked a return to his small-town drama roots. He died at age 57 from pancreatic cancer.