Matteo Garrone's organized crime drama Gomorrah (above, top photo), based on Roberto Saviano's polemical book, took top honors at the 2009 David di Donatello awards. The Italian Film Academy voted Gomorrah the best Italian film of the year and Garrone the best director, in addition to handing the film five other awards, including best screenplay and best producer.
Paolo Sorrentino’s Il Divo (above, lower photo), which also deals (however indirectly) with the mafia, also received a total of seven statues (out of 16 nominations), including the best actor trophy for star Toni Servillo's brilliant caricature of former Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti, and a best supporting actress win for Piera Degli Espositi.
Last year, Gomorrah won the Cannes Film Festival's Grand Prix while Sorrentino’s Il Divo was awarded the Special Jury Prize. Italy's submission for the best foreign language film Academy Award, Gomorrah surprisingly failed to be included in the list of final Oscar nominees.
According to Variety, Gomorrah has grossed more than $25 million internationally, with about half its take originating from outside Italy.
Among the other David winners were best actress Alba Rohrwacher (above, with Silvio Orlando), for her portrayal of a young woman locked up in a Fascist-era mental institution in Pupi Avati’s Giovanna’s Father; best first-time director (and Gomorrah co-screenwriter) Gianni Di Gregorio for Mid-August Lunch; best supporting actor Giuseppe Battiston for Non pensarci; and Young David winner Giulio Manfredonia for Si può fare.
Also, the best European Union film was Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, while the best foreign film was Clint Eastwood’s Gran Torino.
Veteran actress Virna Lisi was one of this year's winners of the Italian Academy's Honorary Awards.
Fausto Brizzi’s Ex, nominated in ten categories, went home empty-handed.