Ivan's Childhood
In 1961 Zurlini filmed "Girl with a Suitcase", a successful intimist drama, starring Claudia Cardinale, who became a film star in Italy, and Jacques Perrin, who would become Zurlini's favorite actor. In 1962 Zurlini's film "Family Diary" earned him the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (it tied with Tarkovsky's "Ivan's Childhood"). Zurlini had a masterful skill for screen adaptations. Both "The Girls of San Frediano" and "Family Diary" were based on Vasco Pratolini's work. Zurlini admired the work of Italian novelist Giorgio Bassani and hoped to adapt his novel "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis", which was subsequently directed by Vittorio De Sica in 1971 (see "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (film)").