Possible Clues:

• Joined a military formation with one film director
• 'Director once collapsed', one added
• Italian filmmaker collapsed in middle of musical
• Gave way to current director
• Film director dropped in before one
• Federico ____ won his first best foreign language film Oscar in 1956, for La Strada
• Federico ------- (1920-1993), Italian film director
• Director was killed in Italy
• Film director