Carlo Di Palma
Born (1925-04-17)17 April 1925
Rome, Italy
Died 9 July 2004(2004-07-09) (aged 79)
Rome, Italy
Occupations Cinematographer, film director
Years active 1942–2001
Spouse Adriana Chiesa

Carlo Di Palma (17 April 1925 – 9 July 2004) was an Italian cinematographer and film director, renowned for his work with directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Woody Allen. The Lincoln Center described him as "among the most lauded and influential of cinematographers."[1]

Early life

Carlo Di Palma was born into a poor Roman family; his mother was a flower seller on the Spanish Steps,[2] while his father was a camera operator for a number of Italian film studios.[3]

In an interview shortly before his death, Di Palma recounted his childhood memories of observing his father in action: "I'd run to the studio or the location, and watch my father work. I was fascinated by the whole experience. I would stand on a crate sometimes and watch. All of the people that were on the location were pleasant to me. I was very quiet and observant, so with that they let me stay on set. I would watch many different directors over and over."[3]

Career

Aside from a long and well-known career as a cinematographer, Di Palma was also a little-known film director.[4]

In 2002, Di Palma was hired to shoot Woody Allen's film Anything Else (2003), and actually started location scouting before failing an insurance physical, which was required for all key personnel on the crew. Because of that, Darius Khondji replaced Di Palma, to his great disappointment, as he had been eager to work again after having been on the sidelines for the past six years.[5]

Personal life

Carlo Di Palma moved from Italy to the United States in 1983.

Around the same time, Di Palma married Adriana Chiesa, an exporter of Italian films. She nursed him through his final years.[2]

Filmography

Cinematographer

Film

Year Title Director Notes
1957 Lauta mancia Fabio De Agostini
1960 The Employee Gianni Puccini
Long Night in 1943 Florestano Vancini
Le svedesi Gian Luigi Polidoro
1961 The Assassin Elio Petri
Tiro al piccione Giuliano Montaldo
Divorce Italian Style Pietro Germi With Leonida Barboni
Leoni al sole Vittorio Caprioli
1962 Paris, My Love
Terrible Sheriff Alberto De Martino
Antonio Momplet		 With Dario Di Palma and Ricardo Torres
1963 Omicron Ugo Gregoretti
1964 Liolà Alessandro Blasetti With Leonida Barboni and Tonino Delli Colli
Red Desert Michelangelo Antonioni
The Naked Hours Marco Vicario
1965 Terror-Creatures from the Grave Massimo Pupillo
1966 For Love and Gold Mario Monicelli
A Question of Honour Luigi Zampa With Luciano Trasatti
Blowup Michelangelo Antonioni
1967 I Married You for Fun Luciano Salce
On My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who... Pasquale Festa Campanile
1968 The Girl with the Pistol Mario Monicelli
1969 The Scarlet Lady Jean Valère
The Appointment Sidney Lumet
Help Me, My Love Alberto Sordi
1970 The Pizza Triangle Ettore Scola
Ninì Tirabusciò, la donna che inventò la mossa Marcello Fondato
The Pacifist Miklós Jancsó
1971 La supertestimone Franco Giraldi
That's How We Women Are Dino Risi
1972 Gli ordini sono ordini Franco Giraldi
1979 Together? Armenia Balducci
1981 Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man Bernardo Bertolucci
1982 Identification of a Woman Michelangelo Antonioni
1983 The Black Stallion Returns Robert Dalva
Gabriela Bruno Barreto
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Woody Allen
Off Beat Michael Dinner
1987 Radio Days Woody Allen
The Secret of My Success Herbert Ross
September Woody Allen
1990 Alice
1991 Shadows and Fog
1992 Husbands and Wives
1993 Manhattan Murder Mystery
1994 Bullets Over Broadway
The Monster Roberto Benigni
1995 Mighty Aphrodite Woody Allen
1996 Everyone Says I Love You
1997 Deconstructing Harry

Short film

Year Title Director Notes
1963 Le lièvre et la tortue Alessandro Blasetti Segment of Three Fables of Love
1965 Il provino Michelangelo Antonioni Segment of The Three Faces
1966 Fata Sabina Luciano Salce Segment of Sex Quartet
1970 Il frigorifero Mario Monicelli Segment of Man and Wife
1989 Roma Michelangelo Antonioni Segment of 12 registi per 12 città

Television

Year Title Director Notes
1981 Great Performances Jean-Pierre Ponnelle Episode "La clemenza di Tito"
1983 Ritorno a Lisca Bianca Michelangelo Antonioni TV documentary short
1994 Don't Drink the Water Woody Allen TV movie

Director

  • Teresa the Thief (1973)
  • Blonde in Black Leather (1975) (Also writer)
  • Mimì Bluette... fiore del mio giardino (1976)
  • L'addio a Enrico Berlinguer (1984) (Documentary film)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Title Result
1965 Silver Ribbon Best Cinematography Il deserto rosso Won
1967 For Love and Gold Won
1993 Shadows and Fog Won
1997 Mighty Aphrodite Won
1966 BAFTA Awards Best Cinematography - Colour Blowup Nominated
1982 David di Donatello Best Cinematography Identification of a Woman Nominated
2003 European Film Awards Outstanding European Achievement in World Cinema Won

References

  1. ^ "Shot by Carlo Di Palma, from Rome to New York". Film at Lincoln Center. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b Lane, John Francis (13 July 2004). "Carlo Di Palma: Italian master of cinematography". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  3. ^ a b Szklarski, Stephen J. "Carlo Di Palma: An interview". Independent Film Quarterly. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  4. ^ Moliterno, Gino (2009). The A to Z of Italian Cinema. Scarecrow Press. pp. 114–15. ISBN 9780810870598. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  5. ^ Tonguette, Peter. "Carlo Di Palma: An Appreciation and a Remembrance". Senses of Cinema. Film Victoria. Retrieved 28 September 2012.