Toni Servillo he said: “It is a mystery and must remain so.” To those who asked him why he and Paolo Sorrentino do nothing but make films together – since 2001, the year of The extra manto date, with Grace presented at the latest Venice Film Festival – responded to Jep Gambardella, the gigantic protagonist of The great beauty. A mystery.
And the rest the Sorrentino-Servillo duo is not even an exceptionthe history of Italian cinema is full of them: repeated encounters perhaps to have identified one’s alter ego, you see Federico Fellini-Marcello Mastroianni (five films), or for the relationship between restless souls Dino Risi-Vittorio Gassman (12 films). Sofia Loren and Marcello Mastroiannispeaking of acting experiences, they boast 14 films although A Special Day would be enough to remember the magical alchemy between the two on set.
Overseas the music doesn’t change much, on the contrary: Martin Scorsese wanted Robert De Niro ten times, and six times he chose Leonardo DiCaprio. And then there is Spain Pedro Almodovar who called seven times Carmen Maura in front of his camera.
Two people work better
Elective affinities or complementarity? Mutual respect, perfect understanding or blind trust? It would seem that in the world of art – by its nature fluid, magmatic, prescient – it is easier to find working couples that last for decades. Music, fashion, theatre, cinema, architecture. Yet, even the most concrete corporate and financial universe demonstrates that the two-way formula is often the winner. Elena Pantera, president of AIDP, the Italian Association for Personnel Management, tells what she sees from her position: «There is a very strong theme of shared values, non-negotiable values: the rules are changed, the founding values of a relationship are not. I’m talking about work ethics, respect, permitted risks, transparency in behavior towards both suppliers and customers; the way of understanding personnel management, investments, strategy and behaviour. There are many grays in companies and a manager and his “second” want to be able to speak the same language. At the basis of everything is trust».
Aldo Neuburger, headhunter with decades of experience: «They are effective professional alliances, towards the identified objective. I have seen many tandems in publishing, fashion, less so in business and finance. If the person identified by us, proposed to our client who needed a certain position, wants to bring a right-hand man, he will deal directly with the possible future new company”.
Partnerships in fashion, creative couples
It is true that fashion, together with cinema, seems to be the ideal terrain for two-way agreements. Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti they were side by side for almost 50 years, 12 of which as a romantic couple. The same goes for Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti: they met in 1966 at the Capannina in Forte dei Marmi, the designer’s last purchase, and they were a working and loving couple until 1985, when Galeotti died of AIDS.
Giorgio Armani with Sergio Galeotti, who died in 1985. They had been united in work and affection since 1966. (Courtesy of Giorgio Armani)
In both cases – Valentino and Armani – the professional partner managed the administrative aspectsmanagement and financial, leaving the partner free to create. Not to mention the absolute understanding between Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergéor the strength of the duo’s construction Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbanajust to name a few.
Show biz couples
Today, however, the rules of the tandem game seem to have changed: an administrator of a luxury brand calls the most popular creative director, the partnerships of the past no longer exist. Francesca Bellettini, perhaps the most powerful woman in fashion today, CEO of the Kering Group (Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta), recalled this: «I love working with creative directors, I believe it is a fundamental part of our world. And I love finding the right one for a fashion house. A CEO who wants to do the job of a creative person will make a disaster.”
Fabio Fazio, 61 years old, and Luciana Littizzetto, his age: a de facto couple, celebrated their “silver wedding”. (Photo by Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images)
In entertainment and publishing there are time-tested couples like Fabio Fazio-Luciana Littizzetto, Giuseppe Cruciani-David Parenzo, Maurizio Crozza-Andrea Zalone. They were a media sensation a few years ago Michela Murgia and Chiara Tagliaferrifirst with a much-loved podcast, Morganawhich became a play and a top-selling book (they later wrote others); today the Samantha Bruzzone-Marco Malvaldi couple also seems to be working in terms of sales, with five books under their belt and a happy marriage.
Family connections and more
But it’s from Camilla Lunellidirector of communication and external relations of the Lunelli Group, comes a reflection from a feminine heart. The group is famous for its “bubbles” with almost six million bottles of Ferrari Trentodoc a year (they were elected “Producers of the Year 2025”), but it also has wines, waters and much more. In short, a small empire based in Trento, which relies on an agreement between brothers and cousins.
There are four family members, but with distinct roles; Camilla created the tandem with her cousin MatteoCEO of the group and president of the Altagamma Foundation (which has brought together companies in the high cultural and creative industry since 1992).
«It often happens that a company’s failures are not linked to the business but to personal tensions. We are lucky, we are a family that shares strong and deep-rooted values. With Matteo it was easy, we followed the same path since we were kids: studies, travel. There is certainly a more direct dynamic, such a confidence that makes us be even more frank. Sometimes we think differently, it doesn’t matter: I support my thesis, but the final decision is yours as CEO. A company must be orderly, have precise tasks. Whether it’s familiar or not.”
By elective affinities or complementarities, the tandem therefore seems to have two unwritten rules: trust and sharing of values. Or maybe it’s just like Toni Servillo says, it’s a mystery: «A producer friend once told us that we did each other good. I owe a lot to Paolo and he to me. He considers me an older brother.” And he adds: «If we shoot an eighth film, we will still have to maintain this mystery».