Biography

Ileana Caravati (known professionally as Lilli Carati) was an Italian actress who established herself as a prominent figure in Italian cinema during the 1970s and 1980s. She was from Varese, Lombardy, and began her career path through the beauty pageant circuit, earning the title "Miss Elegance Lombardy" in 1974 and achieving first runner-up status at the Miss Italia contest. Following her success in modeling, she worked as a fashion model in Milan before transitioning to acting.

Carati's film career encompassed multiple genres within Italian cinema, including the popular "school film" genre with notable appearances in productions such as "La compagna di banco" (1977) by Mariano Laurenti, where she portrayed a wealthy schoolgirl and basketball player named Simona Girardi. The same year, she expanded her range by appearing in the poliziotteschi film "Gangbuster," demonstrating her versatility across different cinematic styles. Her breakthrough role came in 1978 with "Candido Erotico" (Copenhagen Nights), where she played Charlotte, a student caught in romantic complications. In the mid-1980s, she collaborated with director Joe d'Amato on several productions, including "L'alcova" (The Alcove) in 1984 and "Il piacere" (The Pleasure) in 1985, both period pieces set in 1930s Italy.

Carati became recognized for her performances in films such as "A Lustful Mind" (1986), "Skin Deep" (1979), and "Avere vent'anni" (1978), establishing her reputation within the Italian film industry. Her career spanned over a decade, during which she worked with established directors and appeared alongside notable actors of her generation. Through her diverse filmography and consistent screen presence, Carati contributed to the landscape of Italian cinema during a significant period of the industry's evolution.
- IMDb mini biography by: Angel

She was a finalist in the 1974 Miss Italy competition, where she ranked second, winning the Miss Elegance title.

In 1981 she made a controversial appearance on Italian national television channel Rai 1, where she was "out of it" due to her heroin addiction.

In 1981 she was involved in a car accident in Arona, Italy, which caused fractures to her patella and shoulder. She took a three-year hiatus after that.

Franco Cristaldi cast her in What's Your Sign? (1975)--her film debut--after seeing her in the 1974 Miss Italy competition, where he was a member of the jury.

After a soft-core film entitled Lilli Carati's Dream by Giorgio Grand (1987), the actress moved on to the porn genre, starring in five films in total, four directed by Grand himself, shot between 1987 and 1988, in which she also worked with Rocco Siffredi at the beginning of his career, and the last in 1989, in the United States of America, directed by Alex de Renzy and Henri Pachard.