Sophia Loren leads tributes to Gina Lollobrigida

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 16 - Sophia Loren on Monday led tributes to Gina Lollobrigida, long her rival for the title of Italy's sexiest screen bombshell export, who has died at the age of 95.
    "I'm deeply shaken and saddened, and above all incredulous at what has happened," said Loren, 88, after the passing of her fellow diva and legend.
    Talking to ANSA, Loren said that for the moment she had nothing else to add.
    Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano also paid tribute Lollobrigida after the once 'most beautiful woman in the world' died in her Rome home.
    "Farewell to a screen diva, protagonist of over a half a century of Italian cinema history. Her allure will remain eternal. Ciao Lollo", he said.
    Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said "she was an Italian icon for the world".
    Culture Undersecretary Lucia Borgonzoni said the ministry would set up a prize in her honour.
    Roberto Marti, chair of the Senate culture committee, said Lollobrigida "represented Italy in the world".
    His counterpart in the House, Federico Mollicone, said "she was the last diva, and Rome must name a street after her".
    Her grand-nephew and farm minister Francesco Lollobrigida said she was an "peerless icon" while Reform Minister Elisabetta Casellati said "she was an international star and a determined woman" while House culture committee member Giovanna Miele said "she was an immense actress and an intense performer".
    Senate Speaker Ignazio la Russa said "she did so much for Italian cinema and for Italy too".
    Veteran singer and former teen idol Rita Pavone said "the whole world envied us for her" while the Venice Film Fest recalled she had been "on several occasions a protagonist here" and Rai state broadcaster top brass Marinella Soldi and Carlo Fuortes said she was "a generous and versatile actress, capable of many facets and registers, in her countless collaborations with Cinecittà and Hollywood directors".
    Business and Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso said she was "an ambassador of bravura and class" while MPs Tommaso Foti and Velantina Grippo said respectively "it's a huge loss for Italian culture" and "she spread our cinema around the world".
    Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey said in Turin, where he is picking up a cinema museum award despite a wave of sexual abuse charges, that "she was a great star, and had an incredible life".
    Veteran TV presenter Pippo Baudo said she was "a great artist, of extraordinary vitality" (ANSA).