Donna DiGiuseppe
- Writer
- Producer
- Director
![Lady in Ermine portrays the day when the Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola is inspired to become a portraitist. Sofonisba is drawn to the face of the Madonna amid the art and clutter of her Lombard church. Her father Amilcare interrupts her reverie to summon her home for the big event of the day, the King's procession. Sofonisba pleads with him to understand her need to show the soul. He recognizes her genius and decides to write to the legendary artist Michelangelo to request a critique of Sofonisba's work. Meanwhile, Sofonisba returns home with her mother, and they witness the King's march through her town. Citizens jeer his invasion and protest "invader go home." When the King reaches Sofonisba's window, she locks eyes with him and sees into the depths of his tortured soul. The events of the day all converge and Sofonisba declares her calling, "One day, I'm going to paint him. I'm going to capture to the soul of the King." The epilogue explains that Sofonisba Anguissola went on to great fame and success, and then history forgot her. Based on the novel Lady In Ermine: The Story of a Woman Who Painted the Renaissance (2019, Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies) (2020, Donna DiGiuseppe, available on Amazon). Shot in Atri and Civitella del Tronto Abruzzo, Italy in collaboration with Filo Productions [IT], starring Valeria Di Menno as Sofonisba, Mario Massari as Amilcare Anguissola and Vincenzo Fagotti as King Philip II of Spain.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTdkNDhiYmYtZjQ0MC00MWU0LWE4ZWMtNDNmZjIzY2MxYmFkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXRyYW5zY29kZS13b3JrZmxvdw@@._V1_QL75_UX1000_CR0,0,1000,563_.jpg)
Donna DiGiuseppe (she/her) grew up in 1970s New Jersey and 1980s California. She attended University of California Berkeley and Università Ca Foscari di Venezia. She wrote the novel Lady in Ermine about Sofonisba Anguissola and adapted it for feature film and three-part series. She lives with her husband and sons in California and Abruzzo, Italy, in the house where her grandmother was born. Lady in Ermine (2022) is followed by Antonio's Road, a feature film in production, written and directed by Donna DiGiuseppe.
