Mario Nuzzolese

Mario Nuzzolese (10 December 1915 – 21 October 2008), more commonly known as "Professore" for his richness of culture, technical knowledge and enthusiasm in teaching. He was an Italian Lieutenant Colonel, teacher, journalist and film critic. He led the Italian cinema and entertainment culture, contributing to the management and development of the National AGIS Association and heading for more than 40 years as co-founder the Regional Delegation.

Military career

In 1942 he was sent with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to defend the Italian trenches during World War II in the Africa Campaign on the El Alamein front, recruited by the Military Intelligence commanded by the Major Paolo Caccia Dominioni. During a battle he had a lucky landing in the Sahara Desert with his Fiat Cicogna, that brought him till the last days of the life several damns to the vertebral column.

For the strategy, courage and seriousness he was awarded with a Bronze Medal of Military Valor under dictator Benito Mussolini.

Once back home, in 1945, he married the Noblewoman Teresa Bellomo with whom he had two children, Vinia and Vincenzo.

Cinema

In 1945 he started projecting silent movies in a little room of the School Balilla in Bari, allowing his students to explore the educational power of videos with his first censures.

During the early 1950s, in Bari, Nuzzolese with the love and passion for his native city directed the first B/W documentary on the Basilica di San Nicola of Bari, actually property of the historical RAI Archives.

He devoted his life to the family and the cinema culture, ideated and founded Cinemas ABC (1976) one of the first essay cinemas in Europe inaugurated by the Minister Adolfo Sarti with the movie "Quanto è bello lu murire acciso" of Ennio Lorenzini. The Centre of Culture liked too much also to the Italian Film Director Carlo Lizzani, that permitted to print 11 movies of the Venice Film Festival. It was reopened on 19 January 2010, after restoration and conservation interventions, with an honor plate to him dedicated.

Always moved by his passion for culture, art and politics, he participated several times to the Annual Academy Awards, Festival de Cannes and Venice Film Festival. He founded associations to improve Italian Cinemas traditions and the target of its supporters such as Agiscuola and FICE.

In 1980 he was awarded by the former President of the Council of Ministers, Francesco Cossiga, with the title of Commendatore della Repubblica and different times by the AGIS Association with several medals of honors for his loyalty, fidelity and positive results.

He collected original 8mm films, VHS, movies billboards and specialized magazines creating the invaluable AGIS's collection.

Journalism

He wrote articles and film criticisms for the newspapers Corriere della Sera, Repubblica and Giornale dello Spettacolo and socially divulged the essay cinema culture in television formats.

In 1992, he was included with all the Members of the Prefecture Commission in the list of inquired about the fire of the Teatro Petruzzelli, having released the permits to allow showing performances inside. After 6 years of processes they were considered not culpable at all.

He died in Bari in 2008.

Honours

• Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - Commendatore
• Bronze Medal of Military Valor