Franco Zeffirelli

Gian Franco Zeffirelli (born February 12, 1923 in Florence, Italy, died 15 June 2019) directed movies from the plays by William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew (1967) with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Romeo and Juliet (1968) with Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, Hamlet (1990) with Mel Gibson and Glenn Close. He adapted for the screen operas by Giuseppe Verdi, La Traviata (1982) and Otello (1987), both with Placido Domingo. He directed Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) about the life of St. Francis of Assisi, The Champ (1979) with Jon Voight and Ricky Schroder, remake of the 1931 movie by King Vidor, Jane Eyre (1996) with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsburg from the 1847 novel by Charlotte Brönte, Tea with Mussolini (1999) with Cher, Maggie Smith, Judy Dench, Joan Plowright, Callas Forever (2002) with Fanny Ardant as soprano Maria Callas. For television he directed the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977).

Golden Globe Awards

1987 Nominee

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
- Otello
- Italy
1983 Nominee

Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
- Traviata, La
- Italy
1969 Nominee

Best Director - Motion Picture
- Romeo and Juliet
- Franco Zeffirelli
1969 Winner

Foreign Film - English Language
- Romeo and Juliet
- Italy