Sophia Loren Archives - Chronicles 2002

"It's a very serious profession and so to be called a star, I don't like it." – Sophia Loren

Armani Collection
Milan
30/09/02

New Armani store / Armani
Rome
Photo: Edoardo Rossi
16/07/02

Venice Film Festival
Photo: Jeff Vespa
28/08/02

Soprattutto (Italy)
09/02

Zyloware
Publicity

Toronto Film Festival
Photo: Ian Evans
13/09/02

Holt Renfrew Viva Italia
Toronto
Photo: George Pimentel
12/09/02

Holt Renfrew Viva Italia
Montreal
Photo: Bernard Bujold
17/09/02

Press Conference
Montreal
Photo: Bernard Bujold
16/09/02

Peter and the Wolf recording
Geneva
15/12/02

MOVIE PREMIERES

ITALY
Francesca e Nunziata
Italy, January 22
Between Strangers
Venice Film Festival, August 30 (Cuori estranei)

CANADA
Between Strangers
Toronto Film Festval, September 13

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Pietro Bianchi Award (Italy)
Most significant personality of cinema, Venice Film Festival, August 29

Italian American Hall of Fame (USA)
National Italian American Foundation, Washington, October 26

Credere nella Ricerca (Italy)

Prize for her work and dedication, Palazzo Quirinale, Rome, November 10

ENDORSEMENTS

Zyloware

Malma pastas
Sophia is in Poland from January 29 through February 2 to shoot a TV commercial in a Teutonic Knights castle in Malbork for Malma pastas, made by Danuta, the country's second largest pasta maker. This is scandalous news in Italy and Italian newspaper Il Mattino even pleads Sophia to reconsider her involvement. "How does one say "al dente" in Polish? One just can't."

Cancer Research Association
Campaign called L'ultima buona azione per la lira.

PUBLIC APPEARANCES

Cevisama Tile Show - February
Sophia attends with Isabel Preysler the Cevisama Tile Show in Valencia.

L'ultima buona azione della lira - February 28
Publicity in EuroItalia newspaper for the Italian Cancer Research Association called L'ultima buona azione della lira (Last good deed of the lira) in which Sophia invites Italians to give the liras they might still have before the currency is withdrawn having been replaced by the euro.

New Armani Store - March 4

Sophia is among the guests invited at the opening of a new Armani store featuring new collection Armani Collezioni on Via Montenapoleone in Milan.

Galileo Award - July 5

Sophia is in Florence to present Zubin Mehta's award at Italy's oldest opera house, Teatro della Pergola.

Gran Hotel Domine - July 11
Sophia acts as godmother for the inauguration Bilbao's Gran Hotel Domine which was totally designed by Javier Mariscal. The hotel opening ceremonies were preceded by a concert at the Palacio de Euskalduna with soprano Ainhoa Arteta and American singer Diana Ross.

Armani Jeans Store - July 16
Sophia is in Rome, accompanied by her sister Maria and Carla Fracci, to attend the inauguration of a new Armani Jeans shop.

Venice Film Festival - August & September
Opening night premiere of Frida on August 29. World Premiere of her new movie, Between Strangers and Premio Bianchi Award on August 30 at the Lido.

Toronto Double Header - September 12-14

Holt Renfrew Viva Italia in-store photo call and party on September 12, press conference with Edoardo on the 13 at the Four Seasons and premiere of Between Strangers, shot in Toronto, on the 14. The funds raised by the Viva Italia event are given to Ontario's Villa Charities.

Montreal Double Header - September 16-17

Montreal press conference on the 16 at the Ritz Carlton and premiere of Between Strangers. Holt Renfrew Viva Italia events on the next day. The funds raised by the Viva Italia event are given to Montreal's Musée des Beaux Arts.

Armani Collection - September 30

Sophia is a front-row spectator, sitting next to Tina Turner and George Clooney, at the presentation of 2003 spring-summer Armani collection in Milan.

National Italian American Foundation Gala - October 26

National Italian American Foundation 27th Anniversary Dinner Gala at the Hilton Washington and Towers in Washington, DC, where Sophia is inducted, along with Robert De Niro, into the Italian American Hall of Fame. She is dressed in a pale orange organza gown by Armani. "Few people in the world have the star power to upstage a trio like Tony Bennett, Robert De Niro and Yogi Berra. Count on film goddess Sophia Loren to outshine them all - mere mortals." (The Washington Post)

L.A. Police Union Benefit Night - November 8

Benefit Night at the Century Plaza Hotel, Century City, CA, called To Protect and To Serve.

Credere nella Ricerca - November 10

Italy's President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi presents Sophia the Credere nella Ricerca (Believe in the Research) prize for her work and dedication at a ceremony held in Rome's Palazzo del Quirinale.

Titanic musical - December 8
Sophia is at the German premiere of the Titanic musical at the Hamburg Theater.

MAGAZINE COVERS

Saga Magazine, Sorrisi e Canzoni TV, Onda Tivu, Soprattuto, Take One, Trajectoire, TV Radio Corriere.

TV SHOWS

V Graham Norton - May 9
Guest on the British TV talk-show hosted by Graham Norton.

Le Point - September 27
Interview on Canadian SRC network.

C'è posta per te - September 28
Star guest on Italian TV show with host Maria De Filippi on Channel 5.

BOOKS

Sofia Loren
Vincenzo Mollica's book called Sofia Loren, featuring drawings of all kinds, is released in July.

EDITOR'S NOTES

Switzerland Photo Session - January 25
Photo shoot by fashion photographer and photo journalist Michel Comte, in Muottas Muragl, near Pontresina, in the mountains and valleys of the Engadin. Pictures are used to promote tourism in Switzerland.

The Sexiest from Playboy - March 14

In an interview to the Corriere della Sera Playboy founder Hugh Hefner affirms that Sophia is Italy's sexiest woman.

Ciao Frontoni - July 4
Italian photographer Angelo Frontoni dies from a heart attack in his Roman home two weeks after he shot Sophia dressed in Armani. Sophia is among the first ones to call his relatives to offer her deep condolences. Over almost 40 years Frontoni had become more than just a photographer, he was also a friend and in a way Sophia's personal photographer after Secchiaroli's retreat.

A Song for Sophia - September
Italian singer Gigi D'Alessio has a song dedicated to Sophia called Donna Sofi on his album Uno come te.

Offer from Playboy Magazine - November 6
British newspaper Daily Express announces that Sophia turned down an offer from Playboy to pose nude.

Ponti Turns 90 - December 11
Private party to celebrate Carlo's 90th birthday with the whole family reunited in their Geneva home on Charles-Bonnet Street.

Peter and the Wolf Sessions - December 14-15
Sophia and Bill Clinton spend a weekend at a recording studio in Geneva, laying down their contributions to the project of recording Pierre and the Wolf with the Orchestre de la Suisse romande.