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Barbara Cupisti

Barbara Cupisti

Actor, director and writer · Born January 24, 1962 (64) · Viareggio, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy

Barbara Cupisti is an Italian award-winning documentary director with a long career as film actress. As an actress, she is well known outside of her native country by horror fans, who will most likely recognize her from her films with director Michele Soavi and Dario Argento. As a director, she is considered one of the most talented female directors of documentaries in the world. Mostly focused on human rights, she said that her goal is to give voice to the people who don't have the opportunity to speak.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 24, 1962 (64)
From
Viareggio, Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
Works as
Actor, director and writer
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 32 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 36% in 30 days

What are Barbara Cupisti's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
45%
Bonds
11%
Ideas
10%
Self
9%
Society
9%
Power
8%
Morality
8%
Survival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFate2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 4

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 1 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 4

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Melancholic
5
Dread
3
Absurd
2

How their films linger

Haunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Barbara Cupisti's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Barbara Cupisti's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

32 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Ni primera ni dama (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Director

  • Dream Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Sé stessa

  • Wartime Notes(2023)

    Director · Screenplay

  • My America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director · Writer

  • Fratelli & Sorelle - Storie di carcere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • Io sono. Storie di schiavitù (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Writer

  • Vietato sognare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer · as Self

  • Mothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • Sotto gli occhi di tutti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Barbara

  • Teeth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Dr. Calandra's secretary

  • Police District (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Irene

  • Scandalous Crimes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Cristina

  • Consigli per gli acquisti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Mary Catucci

  • Strong Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Fidanzata di Ugo

  • L'anno prossimo... vado a letto alle dieci(1995)

    as Betty

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Cemetery Man(1994)

    as Magda

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Only You(1994)

    as Anna

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Bony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Flesh and the Devil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Maria Cristina

  • Eyewitness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Elisa

  • Flight from Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Assessina

  • Il volo di Teo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Actor

  • Il bambino e il poliziotto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Lucia

  • The Hell's Gate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Erna

  • Dark Bar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Elisabetta

  • The Church(1989)

    as Lisa

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Opera(1987)

    as Signora Albertini

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Eleven Days, Eleven Nights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Alicia

  • StageFright(1987)

    as Alicia

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Châteauvallon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 26 episodes · as Alexandra Berg

  • The Key(1983)

    as Lisa Rolfe

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The New York Ripper(1982)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 32 titles from 1982 to 2026; peak year 1988.

Biggest box office

Cemetery Man (1994)

$254K worldwide

Highest rated

Cemetery Man (1994)

Midcredits 82nd

Most popular right now

The Key (1983)

Film career

19822026

Peak 1988 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1982Screen debut· The New York Ripper
  • 1987First top-billed film· Stage Fright

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting25 of 32: 25 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rdDirecting7 of 32: 2 only directing, 5 with another roleWriting5 of 32: 0 only writing, 5 with another role

32 titles, 5 with more than one role.

By decade

1980s10 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s5 · 3 acting · 2 crew2010s2 · crew2020s4 · 1 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 18% of 11 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Barbara Cupisti's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of the 8 of 9 with a score; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 8 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · actor

The Key (1983)

53rd percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Cemetery Man (1994)

Midcredits 82nd · 71% liked

Reviewers score the acting 56/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 29. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Barbara Cupisti's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 92 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles44–74 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 86 · severeMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Barbara Cupisti work with?

People who share at least 2 of Barbara Cupisti's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michele Soavi shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers