R.I.P: Michelangelo Antonioni

In this than 48 hours the film world has lost 2 of its most influential filmmakers and if there are any similitude’s between the two men it is the fact that they kept working until way past “retirement age”. The great Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni (1912 – 2007) whose last great contributions were back in the 70’s with Zabriskie Point and The The Passenger, was still churning out works including the 3 director compilation with Eros. He was currently working on Aquiloni sull'Etna (North Winds on Mt. Etna) a Sicily-funded $9.2 million project that would help him and Wim Wenders make their next projects. From what I understand North Winds on Mt. Etna was only at the script stage. His films were difficult and abstract – leaving the viewer deal with complex themes of abandonment and isolation. Thankfully this filmmaker like Bergman is also a regular patron with the Criterion Collection.