Wertmueller, 1st woman nominated for directing Oscar, dies

ROME (AP) — News reports and the Italian Culture Ministry say Italian director Lina Wertmueller, the first woman to receive an Oscar nomination for directing, has died. She was 93. Wertmueller in 1976 became the first woman to receive an Oscar nomination for directing for “Seven Beauties,” a film for which she also was nominated for best original screenplay. She didn’t win then, but the Academy acknowledged the milestone in awarding her a lifetime achievement four decades later.Wertmueller, known for her iconic white-rimmed glasses, also directed “The Seduction of Mimi,” “Love and Anarchy” and “Swept Away.”Culture Minister Dario Franceschini paid tribute to Wertmueller, saying her “class and unmistakable style” had left its mark on Italian and world cinema.