Duse (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Pietro Marcello
- Letizia Russo
- Guido Silei[1]
- Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
- Noémie Merlant
- Mimmo Borrelli
- Fausto Russo Alesi
- Marcello Mazzarella
| Duse | |
|---|---|
 Italian theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Pietro Marcello |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Marco Graziaplena |
| Edited by |
|
| Music by |
|
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by |
|
Release dates |
|
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Countries |
|
| Language | Italian |
| Budget | €7.6 million[citation needed] |
Duse is a 2025 biographical film directed by Pietro Marcello, co-written by Marcello, Letizia Russo and Guido Silei.[1] Starring Valeria Bruni Tedeschi in the titular role, it follows the life of Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse prior to the World War I, and the abrupt societal changes caused by the conflict.[3][4]
The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 3 September 2025, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion.[5] It was theatrically released in Italy by PiperFilm on 18 September,[6] and in France by Ad Vitam on 14 January 2026.[7]
In the wake of the First World War, former actress Eleonora Duse makes a return to the stage, contending with the limits of her own body as well as realities of power at odds with her utopian ideals.[3]
Cast
- Valeria Bruni Tedeschi as Eleonora Duse
- Noémie Merlant as Enrichetta Checchi, Duse's daughter
- Mimmo Borrelli as Ermete Zacconi
- Fausto Russo Alesi as Gabriele D'Annunzio
- Marcello Mazzarella
- Fanni Wrochna
- Vincenzo Pirrotta
- Federico Pacifici
- Vincenza Modica
- Edoardo Sorgente
- Savino Paparella
- Vincenzo Nemolato
- Stefano Rosato
Production
The Match Factory opened Duse to international pre-sale at the Marché du Film during the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.[4] That May, Variety reported that production on the film was underway.[3]
Reception
Damon Wise for Deadline writes that the film is "handsome but very culturally specific" and seems to contain an "unintentional streak of camp."[8]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice International Film Festival | September 6, 2025 | Golden Lion | Pietro Marcello | Nominated | [9] |