"At the end ofthe 19th century, many artists were guided by the ideals of Black Romanticism." "In the process, beauty always coincided with grief." "Pleasure did not exist without pain." "Illness and sensuality were paradoxical partners... and love had made a firm pact with death." "This desire to reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable... was characteristic of the decadent outlook on life in the fin desiècle," "Between 1913 and 1920, a number offilms were produced in Italy... that were strongly influenced by the Black-Romantic ideals ofthe fin de siècle," "In many cases, the leading part was played by popular movie stars... like Lyda Borelli, Pina Menichelli and Francesca Bertini." "They were the first divas ofthe silver screen." "In a matchless style, the Italian film divas... reshaped the concept of the sexually liberated woman... that had been so popular in the decadent arts of the previous century." "But her ode to unconditional passion could not go unpunished... before the eyes ofthe cinema audience." "A calvary ofloss, guilt and self-torment was her inevitable fate in these stories." "She played the dolorous diva, the diva dolorosa," "The Film Museum presents in coproduction with VPRO television in collaboration with the Cineteca Bologna" "PROLOGUE" ""Be beautiful!" "and be sad!" "..."" "ACT ONE" "THE SEVEN VEILS OF LOVE" ""My whole soul is burning for you!"" ""Oh!" "Your love is not made of fire..."" ""True passion is a flare..." "It reaches up to the sky, but only for a brief moment!"" ""Make my heart burn..."" ""Yes!" "Consume my soul in a thousand flames!"" "If you don't want to grant me the taste of your lips..." "I will place my head as a sacrifice at your feet this very night." ""Your brother loves me..." "Why shouldn't he lay down his life for that...?"" ""You or your brother, only one of you will touch the rose of my mouth."" ""It will be me!" "I will love you!"" ""I'm not worthy of you coming to me." "Kill me, trample me under your feet."" ""No." "Let me deliver you from evil!" "In the graveyard of the soul love will bloom."" "ACT TWO" "STORMS OF THE SOUL" "Let me dream in your arms of renewed bliss." ""Only in death can we truly belong to one another."" "The morphine may ease your pain, but too many drops will be fatal." "And the venom of love once more poured into her heart..." ""Oh, be silent!" "Let us be happy in this final moment."" "Overcome by the double insanity of love and death..." "ACT THREE" "NIGHT WITHOUT END" ""Take her to Ophelia's room."" "You who find this letter... you should know that my hapless wanderings live on in you." "We have known passion, that flower of evil... and people will hate us for it." "To the mirror I have committed my last image." "If you are recognized, it will break." "O." "And slowly the veil of death passes over the pale face..." "And she allowed the wind... to sing the rhapsody of death in her seven veils."