Leading Italian actress Valentina Cervi was only in her early twenties when she started landing major roles in internationally produced features, such as Jane Campion's Portrait of a Lady (1996) (Cervi's first English-language role). The granddaughter of famed actor Gino Cervi (best known for playing the communist Mayor Peppone opposite Fernandel in the Don Camillo film series), Cervi made her film debut at age ten in Carlo Cotti's Portami la luna (1986). She went on to appear in several more films, including Mignon E Partita (1988). Cervi earned acclaim for essaying the title role in Artemisia (1997). She is the daughter of director Tonino Cervi and granddaughter of the famous Italian actor Gino Cervi. Cervi started her acting career at age ten (in Carlo Cotti's 1986 Portami la luna). She also played an English-language role in Jane Campion's 1996 Portrait of a Lady. One of her most acclaimed roles was the 1997 film Artemisia, directed by Agnès Merlet and starring Valentina Cervi. It was loosely based on the painter Artemisia Gentileschi's[1] life, but controversially portrayed the relationship between Agostino Tassi (played by Miki Manojlovic) and Artemisia as a passionate affair rather than as rape.