These same people seem to forget that mother also took a lot of chances with the type of roles she played.

I have the most fun writing and directing. And I always choose myself as the lead actor.

I am the daughter of Mr. Neo-realism: I should gravitate towards narrative simply told, character, the truth. And I do love those movies.

I was always fascinated by the infinite, strange and 'scandalous' ways that insects copulate.

I think my mother became the muse because she had everything when she was in Hollywood: she had the marriage, the success, the money, all the films she wanted to do and yet even her, she had a longing and wanted to work with a film that had meaning, something more profound. And I think that was very touching to father.

But I don't really see myself as a role model. I'm not a dictator, or someone who wants to be adored!

Mama wrote a letter to my father saying' I want to work with you' and she ended the letter saying' in Italian I can only say ti amo( I love you)' and of course the press used that to say women are sexual predators, in 1949 they made a first film together,' Stromboli', and they fell in love and my mother became pregnant with my brother Roberto before she could obtain a divorce.