Cipria Giovanni Piperno

“Cipria – Il film della vostra vita” is a documentary by Giovanni Piperno exploring life in Italy in 1941, during the war. Despite the difficult situation, a climate of optimism prevailed among Italians. An advertising competition launched by the cosmetics house GiViEmme invited women to share their stories to promote a new face powder. The jury, made up of Cesare Zavattini, Alba De Cespedes, Luchino Visconti and Vittorio De Sica, selected the best stories for a cash prize and as the basis for a film, thus helping to relaunch Italian cinema. However, the project was abandoned as the war worsened. After the conflict, the stories of the surviving women were finally used to make the film.