During Rome's International Film Festival, the city has paid homage to the Italian stage and film actress Anna Magnani by dedicating a square in Villa Borghese to her, in recognition of the contribution she made to Italian and international cinema. The sign for Largo Anna Magnani is close to the park's Largo Marcello Mastroianni.

Born in Rome in 1908, Magnani received her first cinema role in 1934 with La Cieca di Sorrento (The Blind Woman of Sorrento) before achieving international fame in Roberto Rossellini's war-time drama Rome, Open City (1945).

She later starred in films such as The Miracle and Bellissima before scooping an Oscar for Best Leading Actress, as well as four other international awards, for her portrayal of a Sicilian widow in The Rose Tattoo. Her role in the 1955 movie, in which she acted alongside Burt Lancaster, was written with her in mind by celebrated playwright Tennessee Williams.

In 1960 she starred with Marlon Brando in The Fugitive Kid, and during her lifetime she was referred to by Life magazine as "one of the most impressive actresses since Garbo". Magnani died in 1973 in Rome.