2020 was the year of Covid, but among the keywords of the year we are leaving behind (the most "unhappy" ever, according to an algorithm) there are also those of many famous people who have left us. Protagonists of entertainment, cinema, sport, but above all of a world that no longer exists, symbolically (or in some cases actually, as for the Chilean writer Luis Sepulveda) swept away by the virus that has forever upset our existences. In addition to the work of these characters, some of which are global in scope, others closely linked to Italian culture, what we will miss will be the very world they represented: a piece of our lives, which we have never felt more precarious and vulnerable than this year.
Having to give a first name, as Italians we cannot fail to pay homage to the disappearance of Ennio Morricone. The legendary composer died in Rome on July 6, at the age of 91. In his very long career, closely linked to cinema: Morricone's music has been used in more than 60 award-winning films. Unforgettable are his compositions for The Mission (1986) and Once Upon a Time in America (1984). He won the 2016 Academy Award for Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, and his 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award "for his magnificent contributions to the art of film music."
It represents a cinema that is no longer even the mythical Sir Sean Connery: the Scottish actor won an Academy Award in 1987 for The Untouchables, but he had become a legend much earlier, thanks to the unsurpassed interpretation of the character of James Bond, which he played in seven films, from 1962 to 1971. From also remember his roles in the aforementioned Untouchables, but also in The Name of the Rose (based on the homonymous novel written by Umberto Eco, in which he played William of Baskerville), Indiana Jones and The Hunt for Red October.
Moving to Italy but remaining in the world of entertainment and music, 2020 has unfortunately forced us to say goodbye to two giants: Gigi Proietti, who died in Rome on September 2, on his birthday, at the age of 80, e Ezio Bosso, conductor who died on May 15 in Bologna. Proietti was the icon of the Roman world, the heir of sacred monsters such as Nino Manfredi and Alberto Sordi: he was an actor, comedian, voice actor, cabaret artist, television host, director, singer and artistic director. We remember his cinematographic consecration in 1976 with Horse Fever, in the role of the legendary Mandrake, but also many theatrical performances. Bosso was a great musician and also a symbol for the world of disability: suffering from a neurodegenerative disease since 2011, he continued to express his talent until his untimely death. The world of entertainment also mourns Franca Valeri, Milanese actress and playwright, unforgettable interpreter of characters such as Miss Snob and Sora Cecioni.
The world of literature has lost some big names. It was really Covid that took us away Luis Sepulveda, Chilean poet who died on April 16 and eternal symbol of resistance to the regime of General Augusto Pinochet. He published numerous novels, collections of short stories and travel books, among which the Story of a seagull and the cat who taught her to fly stands out, but Sepulveda will be remembered above all for his political activism: on the occasion of Pinochet's military coup in 1973, the writer was in the presidential palace (where Allende died) and was arrested and tortured. He spent seven months in prison before being released and finding political asylum in various European countries (he is a naturalized Frenchman). On December 12, he said goodbye John Le Carre, British author of dozens of best-selling spy novels: "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" is considered his masterpiece.
Illustrious deaths also in the world of economics and politics, Italian and non-Italian: the historic Fiat executive died in Milan on 18 August Cesare Romiti. He arrived at the Lingotto in 1974, to leave 25 years later, at the end of 1998: was the right arm of Avvocato Agnelli and protagonist – albeit controversial – of an entire political and industrial season. He is remembered for the historic march of the 40.000 Fiat troops on 14 October 1980, as well as the close relations with the head of Mediobanca Enrico Cuccia. More recently, on December 2 at the age of 93, the former president of the French Republic also died Valery Giscard d'Estaing, considered among the founding fathers of Europe.
Last but not least, the enormous mourning of the world of sport. The ones that perhaps involved us the most. One immediately thinks of the disappearance of what is considered the strongest footballer of all time, the Argentine Diego Armando Maradona. Idolized in Naples, Argentina but throughout the world, Maradona died on November 25 at his home in Tigre, a month after his 60th birthday. Undisputed artist of the ball, he was a character instead caused quite a bit of discussion outside the green rectangle, but in which in the end entire generations identified themselves: a champion capable of giving the world triumph to Argentina and two historic championships to Napoli.
Instead, he gave Italy the world triumph, perhaps the most beautiful of the four Paolo Rossi, the national Pablito, hero of Mundial 82 in Spain, where he was top scorer (and Ballon d'Or at the end of the year). He passed away on December 9, at the age of 64: we will never forget his kindness, that 1982 World Cup and the many goals with the national team but also with Vicenza, Perugia and Juventus. In the legend, the hat-trick against Brazil by Zico, Socrates and Falcao: that 3-2 paved the way for us to the final victory and reminds us of a football that perhaps no longer exists and a period, that of the 80s, of great enthusiasm in the country.
The year had opened with another famous sporting death: on January 26 in Calabasas, California, he tragically disappeared in a helicopter crash, with his 13-year-old daughter, the basketball champion Kobe Bryant Growing up in Italy where his father played and where he took his first steps on the parquet (he remained tied to our country all his life and still spoke Italian), Bryant is an NBA legend: he was the star of Los Angeles for twenty years Lakers, dragging them to conquer 5 NBA titles. He is considered one of the best athletes in history and before he died, at the age of just 41, he too had time to win an Oscar, in the best animated short film category, for Dear Basketball.
