Monica Vitti, the renowned Italian actress long associated with director Michelangelo Antonioni, is the focus of a new season of films presented by the British Film Institute (BFI) at its Southbank venue in London. The retrospective aims to highlight her extensive career beyond the celebrated Antonioni trilogy—L’Avventura (1960), La Notte (1961), and L’Eclisse (1962)—that established her as an emblematic figure of cinematic modernism.

During the early 1960s, the London National Film Theatre frequently screened the Antonioni trilogy, which garnered significant attention both for their innovative narrative style and Vitti’s portrayal of complex, emotionally fragile characters. The films reflect existential themes of alienation and emotional uncertainty, with Vitti’s roles characterized by subtle hesitation and a haunting presence. Although the director and actress were known to have been a couple, Antonioni often refrained from discussing their personal relationship publicly, emphasizing the difference between the actress’s real personality and the onscreen characters he crafted.

L’Avventura, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1960, initially met with mixed reactions—including laughter and boos—but soon achieved critical acclaim. By 1962, it was ranked the second greatest film ever made in the Sight & Sound critics’ poll, second only to Citizen Kane. The film’s slow pacing, ambiguous plot, and the unexplained disappearance of a central character challenged traditional cinematic storytelling. Vitti’s portrayal of Claudia, a woman grappling with solitude and fleeting love, introduced a new form of screen beauty, distinct from previous icons such as Greta Garbo.

Following this success, Antonioni directed La Notte, featuring a love triangle with Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau alongside Vitti. The film was noted for Moreau’s strong screen presence, which contrasted with Vitti’s more introspective performance. L’Eclisse, often regarded as the best of the three, paired Vitti with Alain Delon, whose on-screen chemistry brought a heightened erotic tension. However, some aspects of the film, including a scene where Vitti performs a dance in dark make-up, have drawn critical scrutiny for their cultural implications.

While these films solidified Vitti’s international reputation, her ventures into English-language cinema faced challenges. Director Joseph Losey cast her in the 1966 spy comedy Modesty Blaise, intended as a James Bond parody. The film was widely regarded as a failure that hindered Vitti’s broader international prospects. Disagreements with Losey over creative choices, such as wardrobe and character portrayal, along with Vitti’s own self-consciousness about being filmed in profile due to concerns about her nose, contributed to tensions. Despite the involvement of notable screenwriters, including a young Harold Pinter, the film failed to resonate with audiences.

Vitti continued to perform primarily in Italy, earning acclaim in comedy roles and winning numerous awards. She collaborated again with Antonioni in 1964’s Il Deserto Rosso (Red Desert), a film that combined experimental color techniques with a portrayal of mental distress but did not achieve commercial success. She retired from acting in 1989 and later faced health challenges due to Alzheimer’s disease, passing away in 2022 at the age of 90.

The BFI season includes several lesser-known films not widely available in English, such as Teresa la Ladra (1973), directed by Carlo Di Palma, her partner at the time; Luigi Magni’s ironic take on Tosca (1973); and Secret Scandal (1989), which Vitti directed and starred Elliott Gould alongside. While some well-known works like The Pizza Triangle (1970) and her last English-language film, An Almost Perfect Affair (1979), are not part of the program, the selection underscores Vitti’s versatility beyond the Antonioni persona.

The retrospective presents Monica Vitti as an artist who, despite being closely identified with a particular cinematic style and director, possessed a broader creative range marked by comic talent and personal complexity. Her career reflects both the opportunities and limitations faced by European actors seeking international recognition during the mid-20th century. The season runs until August 31 and offers a chance to appreciate the depth of Vitti’s contributions to film history.