In 2025, Naples celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Elvira Coda Notari, a pioneer in early Italian cinema: she was the first female director and producer in Italy. In particular, her films found a unique connection with the United States. Her works, deeply rooted in Neapolitan traditions and culture, were appreciated in many circles abroad, especially across the Atlantic, where silent Italian cinema was gaining significant interest.

Her career, which began in the early 20th century, was marked by her ability to tell intimate, popular stories that reflected the social reality of Naples and southern Italy. This year, the city honors her with a series of events celebrating her life and cultural legacy. The events in Naples will include film retrospectives, photography exhibitions and conferences. 

Notari's career represents an ideal bridge between Italy and the United States, a bond that is strengthened by the universal appeal of her stories, which conveyed emotions that transcended cultural boundaries, all while remaining firmly grounded in her native land. Her depiction of daily life in Naples resonated especially with Italian American communities who had emigrated to the U.S. and found in her films a nostalgic reflection of their roots.

Additionally, the presence of “Film Notari” in the international cinematic landscape is evidenced by the distribution of her films in America, where European cinema, and particularly Italian cinema, was starting to carve out a distinct identity in cultural circles. In New York, for example, the Italian American audience was able to appreciate Notari’s work, which told stories of love, passion, and conflict—universal themes that made her cinema easily understood by American audiences.

Today, 150 years after Elvira Notari's birth, Naples reaffirms its role in the international cinematic scene, emphasizing how her art has crossed continents and brought people together. Her legacy not only shaped the history of Italian cinema but also made a lasting impact in the United States, where her films resonated with those searching for a connection to their heritage, solidifying her place as a foundational figure in world cinema.