Isabella Rossellini received a lifetime achievement award at the 2020 film festival, but the pandemic put a stop to her participation on site. Now she is here, among other things, to talk about American director David Lynch, whose films are in focus at the festival.
Rossellini starred in his films “Blue Velvet” and “Wild at Heart,” and the two even lived together for a period.
Lynch, who passed away earlier this year, would have loved to be the center of attention in a context like this, according to Rossellini.
Fight for recognition
"To some it might not be a big deal, but that wasn't his personality. He was very avant-garde and those types of directors often have to fight for recognition," she says.
When Lynch received an honorary Oscar in 2019, he could hardly believe it was true, Rossellini recalls:
He was incredibly emotional and asked me over and over again: "It's important, isn't it?" I replied that of course it was important, not only for him but also for all directors with their own voice, like my own father's, for example," she says.
Rossellini's parents were two true film icons – Italian director Roberto Rossellini and Swedish film star Ingrid Bergman.
At the film festival, she also participates in a conversation about her famous mother, but talking about people who were close to her and who are no longer around is not only positive.
"Partly it makes me sad. I've been asked to talk about David in many retrospectives, but I haven't been able to participate in all of them. I hope I'll just be able to pay tribute to him in front of the audience, but I don't know if that will also be sad," she says.
Dead-cleaned
As the daughter of Ingrid Bergman, she naturally has a strong connection to Sweden, and occasionally travels to Fjällbacka on the West Coast where her mother often took the family in the summers.
But how Swedish does she feel?
"I often get asked that question and never really know what to answer. Many people are disappointed because I don't speak Swedish," says Rossellini, who grew up in Italy.
However, she has a typically Swedish trait, when she thinks about it:
When I was about to have a major operation a few years ago, I suddenly started manically cleaning my house. I have come to understand that it is typically Swedish to “death-clean”, you even have a term for it!, she says.
Sara Haldert/TT
Facts: Isabella Rossellini
TT
Name: Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini.
Born: 1952 in Rome.
Profession: Actor, model, writer, director, producer.
Selected films and TV series: "Blue Velvet" (1986), "Wild at Heart" (1990), "Death Dressed Her" (1992), "My Immortal Love" (1994), "Alias" (2004–2005), "Joy" (2015), "The Conclave" (2023).
Background in selection: Made her film debut in 1976 in "White Nights" alongside Helen Mirren and Mikhail Baryshnikov, among others.
Was a representative for the cosmetics brand Lancôme for 14 years.
Was married to filmmaker Martin Scorsese from 1979–1982 and cohabited with David Lynch from 1986–1990.
Currently lives on Long Island, New York where she runs her own farm, Mama Farm.
