Ratataplan

Nichetti was born in Milano, Italy, on May 8, 1948. He graduated from Architecture School in 1975 at the Politecnico in Milano. While in Architecture School, he attended Decroux pupil Marise Flach’s Mime School at “Il Piccolo Teatro” in Milano, where he subsequently worked for some years.

In 1971 Nichetti began his collaboration as scriptwriter for the cartoonist Bruno Bozzetto eventually extending his collaboration to direct commercials and industrial film. From 1971 to 1978 Nichetti wrote 3 Mr. Rossi feature films, the well-known Bruno Bozzetto animated character. He also co-wrote the classic live-action/animation feature film “ALLEGRO NON TROPPO”, (Play Bill) where he played the leading role. During these years he also wrote and acted in two short live comic films, “OPPIO PER OPPIO” and “LA CABINA”. In 1975 Nichetti founded “QUELLIDIGROCK”, a mime school, later to become a well-known Milan based theater company. In 1978 Nichetti wrote, produced and directed a 30 minutes comic film “MAGIC SHOW”. This film opened the doors for him to later direct his first feature film, “RATATAPLAN”. In 1978 he also acted in “S.O.S.” a short comic live-action/animation film directed by Guido Manuli with whom he had produced several comic spots for a TV program called “L’altra Domenica”. In 1978 he left Bruno Bozzetto Film Studio to pursue his career as feature film author. In 1979 Nichetti wrote, directed and acted in “RATATAPLAN”, a silent film about the adventures of an unemployed engineer in search of work and… love. The film’s total production cost was 100 millions Italian Lire. It was a huge success at the Venezia Film Festival, becoming a worldwide blockbuster, grossing over 6 billion Lire. In 1980 Nichetti wrote, directed and acted in his second feature film “HO FATTO SPLASH”. The film tells the story of a young man, who, after falling deeply asleep in 1956, wakes up in the Seventies, and tries to find his place among the costums and habits of modern day society. In 1982 he wrote, produced and acted in his third feature film “DOMANI SI BALLA”, a fantasy with a touch of science-fiction (soon to become a reality in the Italy of the Eighties) presenting Italians dealing with the invasion of countless commercial television stations. In 1983 Nichetti put together a collection of his works entitled “BEFORE RATATAPLAN” for Italian Television. In the same year he acted in the role of Atlante, the Wizard, in “HEARTS IN ARMOUR”, a film directed by Giacomo Battiato. In 1984 Nichetti wrote, directed and acted in 13 episodes of the popular TV show “QUO VADIZ”. The same year he also played the role of Bertoldino in “BERTOLDO, BERTOLDINO E CACASENNO”, a Mario Monicelli film. In 1985 Nichetti directed the feature “IL BI E IL BA” and played the role of Guerriero in “SOGNI E BISOGNI” a film by Sergio Citti. From 1986 to 1987 Nichetti hosted 54 episodes of “PISTA!” a three hour live TV program broadcast every friday afternoon on RAI, Italian State Television. Again for RAI, in 1987 he directed and acted in “GAG JAZZ”, an experimental short film shot in high definition. In 1988 Nichetti produced “LE CAUCHEMAR D’UN INVENTEUR”, another short film in high definition dedicated to Georges Melies, for Fininvest commercial network. 1989 marks the year of Nichetti’s return to feature films, as an author. He wrote, directed and acted in “THE ICYCLE THIEF” (“Ladri di saponette”), a black and white film intermixed with take offs of commercials in color. In this film Nichetti plays the role of the movie director, fighting to save his film from the onslaught of television’s commercial breaks. The film was awarded 16 major prizes in several International Film Festivals including Valencia and Chicago, among others, as well as the ‘Grand Prize Giorgio d’Oro’ at 1989 Moscow Film Festival and the ‘Golden Globe’ for Best Film, Screenplay, Cinematography and Soundtrack. In 1990 Nichetti hosted 36 episodes of “FANTASY PARTY”, a TV program introducing the world’s best animated shorts. In 1991 Nichetti wrote, directed and acted in “VOLERE VOLARE”. The film tells the story of a man who slowly turns into a cartoon… and finally finds true love. This was Nichetti’s fifth film and it was invited by the most prestigious International Film Festivals, receiving important prizes among which the ‘Best Direction Award’ at the Montreal Film Festival, the ‘Canne d’Or’ at the Comedy Film Festival in Vevey, the ‘Best Italian Comedy of the Year – Premio Sergio Corbucci’ and the “David di Donatello” for Best Script. In 1993 Nichetti produced, directed and acted in the feature film “STEFANO QUANTESTORIE”. Stefano, a young boy, has lots of dreams for his future and a whole life ahead of him. Nichetti, as the adult Stefano, portrays the six different lifestyles Stefano could lead (as a Carabiniere, a maths teacher, a saxophone player, a bank clerk, an airline pilot and even a criminal), considering that fortuitousness and chance encounters can radically shift his chosen path in life. In 1994 he played the role of Jesus, in “TOUS LES JOURS DIMANCHE” a film directed by Jean Charles Tacchella. In 1995 he directed “PALLA DI NEVE” (Play Bill), a feature starring Paolo Villaggio, Anna Falchi, Monica Bellucci, Alessandro Haber and Leo Gullotta. On November 14, 1996, Nichetti’s new film “LUNA E L’ALTRA” opens in italy. It’s his seventh feature film and it’s the fifth movie produced by “Bambù”, the film production company founded in 1988 by Ernesto Di Sarro and Maurizio Nichett. —econtentaward.it