Rita Rusic

Rita Rusic
Occupation Producer
Known for Film Producer
Home town Poreč, Croatia
Children Vittoria Cecchi Gori & Mario Cecchi Gori

Rita Rusic (born May 16, 1960), also known as Rita Cecchi Gori, is a Croatian producer, actress and singer.[1] Rusic's career began as an actress with a major role in the 1982 film Attila flagello di Dio. She was eventually moved into the film industry, with Il pentito in 1982. Later that year she also began filming Joan Lui - Ma un giorno nel paese arrivo io di lunedì.

Following her work as a singer and an actress, Rusic became a producer in the early 1990s. Since then she has been a recognized producer for over 80 films. Many of these films were released primarily in Italy, but a number of them had global success. Rusic also featured on the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars.[2]

Early life

Rusic was born in Poreč, in the Istrian region of Croatia in 1960. In 1981, she met filmmaker Vittorio Cecchi Gori, whom she eventually married.

Career

Model (1977 - 1981)

Rusic started her career as a fashion model at the age of 17. Her modelling career started in Milan, where she worked on mainly advertising campaigns for both magazines and television. Her modelling work led her to work for Fiat, Tampax, Timex and Cognac.

While she was working as a model, she was awarded the beauty pageant titles of Miss Santamarina and Miss Zelena Laguna. While studying medicine at the University of Milan, she met Vittorio Cecchi Gori and subsequently moved into the film industry.

Singer and actress (1982 - 1992)

Rusic's first notable film as an actress was the 1982 film, Attila flagello di Dio. After acting in several other films during the 1980s, she began managing a film business with her husband Vittorio Cecchi Gori. Following her debut performance as an actress, Rusic moved into the music industry, releasing two singles in 1984 and 1985. Her debut single was Love Me or Leave Me Now.[3] The following year, Rusic released her second single, titled Sex Without Love. The song featured on the soundtrack for the film Joan Lui - Ma un giorno nel paese arrivo io di lunedì, which she also starred in. The single was recorded with Adriano Celentano.[4] In 1988, Rusic starred as Alexandra in the Italian produced film, The Third Solution. The film is based on The Pope's meeting with the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Becoming a producer (1993 - present)

Rusic's next major role was as a producer in 1993 on the film Storia di una capinera, where she was Executive Producer. During the same year she was also a producer on two other films, Arriva la bufera and Le donne non vogliono più. In 1994, she worked as a producer alongside her husband on Il toro.[5] The Italian comedy-drama film was directed by Carlo Mazzacurati and was awarded with the Silver Lion and the Volpi Cup for best supporting actor to Roberto Citran.[5]

In 1995, Rusic produced the film, The Star Maker. The film was originally known as L'Uomo delle stelle in Italy, was directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, while the title role was played by Sergio Castellitto. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in its year of release.[6]

Rusic produced the Italian science fiction film, titled Nirvana in 1997. It was directed by Gabriele Salvatores and starred Christopher Lambert, Diego Abatantuono, Sergio Rubini, and Stefania Rocca. It was also screened out of competition at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.[7] Rusic produced Il Ciclone and Fuochi d’artificio, and was the domestic and international distributor of Life is Beautiful, three-time Oscar winner: Best Actor, Best Music Score and Best Foreign Movie, best price of the jury in Cannes Film Festival, and best Italian movie by David di Donatello.[8][9] Later that year Rusic produced an adaptation film called On Guard, from the 1858 historical novel Le Bossu by Paul Féval. The film is about a skilled swordsman named Lagardère who is befriended by the Duke of Nevers. When the duke is attacked by his evil cousin Gonzague, the duke in his dying moments asks Lagardère to avenge him and look after his infant daughter.[7][10] After divorcing Vittorio Cecchi Gori in 2000, Rusic became a producer on her own and founded the agency "The Rita Rusic Company". In 2006, Rusic appeared as a leading actress in a TV series 48 Hours. In 2007, she also restarted her career as a singer.

In May 2008 Rusic published a book titled Jet Sex Diario erotico sentimentale, published by CHI Mondadori. In 2009 she went back to acting, appearing in the film Polvere by Massimiliano D'Epirus and Daniel Proietti, playing the part of the mother.[11] She is the creator and writer of the first 12 episodes of the Italian TV series Amiche mie. She was in a jury of Miss Italia in 2009 and 2010. She participated as a guest in hundreds TV shows, including as a judge in several episodes of the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars, replacing Fabio Canino.[2] She also appeared in other reality shows, The Factory in 2006 and Thank God You Are Here in 2009.

Filmography

Year Film Credits Role Notes
1982 Attila flagello di Dio Actress Uraia as Rita Rusic
1985 Il pentito Actress Unknown as Rita Cecchi Gori
1985 Joan Lui - Ma un giorno nel paese arrivo io di lunedì Actress Cantante nel tempio as Rita Cecchi Gori
1988 The Third Solution (as known as Russicum - I giorni del diabolo) Actress Unknown as Rita Cecchi Gori
1993 Le donne non vogliono più Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1993 Storia di una capinera Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1994 Il toro Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1994 Poliziotti Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1995 Storia d'amore con i crampi Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1995 I laureati Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1995 La scuola Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1995 Pasolini, un delitto italiano Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1995 L'uomo delle stelle Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1995 Viaggi di nozze Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Sono pazzo di Iris Blond Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Ritorno a casa Gori Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Ferie d'agosto Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Vite strozzate Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Il barbiere di Rio Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Fantozzi - Il ritorno Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1996 Il ciclone Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Ovosodo Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Naja Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Nirvana Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Camere da letto Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Banzai Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Life Is Beautiful Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 Fuochi d'artificio Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1997 On Guard Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1998 L'amico del cuore Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1998 Gallo cedrone Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
1999 Lucignolo Producer N/A as Rita Cecchi Gori
2000 Ogni lasciato è perso Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic
2001 Stregati dalla luna Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic
2002 Un amore perfetto Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic
2002 Angela Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic
2008 Scusa ma ti chiamo amore Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic
2009 Polvere Actress Mother as Rita Rusic
2009 Scusa ma ti voglio sposare Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic
2009 Baciato dalla fortuna Producer Unknown as Rita Rusic

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Maltin, Leonard (2008-08-05). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide. Penguin. pp. 1397–. ISBN 9780452289789. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Rita Rusic, 53, shows off her enviable form in skimpy bikini as she hits the beach". Daily Mail. February 8, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Rita Rusic – Love Me Or Leave Me Now". Discogs.
  4. ↑ "Adriano Celentano – Joan Lui Soundtrack". Discogs.
  5. 1 2 Enrico Lancia. I premi del cinema. Gremese Editore, 1998. ISBN 88-7742-221-1.
  6. ↑ "The Star Maker (1995)". The Internet Movie Database.
  7. 1 2 "Festival de Cannes: Nirvana". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
  8. ↑ Box Office Information for Life is Beautiful. The Wrap. Retrieved 4 April 2013
  9. ↑ Life is Beautiful The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Retrieved 28 December 2010
  10. ↑ "Le bossu". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Polvere (2009)". IMDb.
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