No particular entry dominated the Italian Film Academy’s 51st David di Donatello Awards, presented this evening at the Gran Teatro di Tor di Quinto in Rome, though Giuseppe Tornatore’s La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman (above) came out as the top winner of the evening.
Tornatore’s dark drama about a mysterious Ukrainian woman (Kseniya Rappoport, a.k.a. Xenia/Ksenyia Rappoport) who finds employment with an Italian family received five trophies (out of 13 nominations, including one for the Young David Award): Best film, best director, best actress (Rappoport), best cinematographer (Fabio Zamarion), and best composer (frequent Tornatore collaborator and Honorary Academy Award recipient Ennio Morricone, his seventh David di Donatello win).
La Sconosciuta marks Tornatore’s third David di Donatello win as best director. His previous victories were for L’Uomo delle stelle / The Starmaker in 1995 and La Leggenda del pianista sull’oceano / The Legend of 1900 in 1998.
Daniele Luchetti’s coming-of-age sociopolitical comedy-drama Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child also scored five wins. The film earned Elio Germano (right photo, standing on the left) a best actor trophy for his role as a young man who gets involved in Italy’s neo-Fascist movement, in addition to awards for best screenplay (Luchetti, Stefano Rulli, and Sandro Petraglia), best supporting actress (Angela Finocchiaro, who tied with Ambra Angiolini for Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition), best editing (Mirco Garrone), and best sound (Bruno Pupparo).
Other top winners include actor-turned-director Kim Rossi Stuart, who was awarded the best new director trophy for the dysfunctional family drama Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge; best supporting actor Giorgio Colangeli for Alessandro Angelini’s L’Aria salata / Salty Air; Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s spy melodrama Das Leben der Anderen / The Lives of Others, which was chosen the best European Union film (instead of Pedro Almodóvar’s much superior Volver); while the best foreign film prize went to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s multi-story drama Babel.
Emanuele Crialese’s Nuovomondo / The Golden Door, about Italian emigrants leaving for the United States, won statuettes for best production design (Carlos Conti), costume design (Mariano Tufano), and special effects (L’Etude et la Supervision des Trucages).
Career Davids went to director-actor-screenwriter Giuliano Montaldo, 77; director-screenwriter Carlo Lizzani, 85, currently working on the World War II drama Hotel Meina; and composer Armando Trovajoli, 89, whose career spans more than half a century and over 200 films, including La Ciociara / Two Women, Casanova 70, La Più bella serata della mia vita / The Most Wonderful Evening of My Life, and La Nuit de Varennes / That Night in Varennes. Trovajoli’s most recent project was Mario Canale and Annarosa Morri’s 2006 documentary on Marcello Mastroianni, Marcello, una vita dolce / Marcello, a Sweet Life.
Daniele Vicari’s Il mio paese / My Country (above) was the (previously announced) best documentary feature winner. Il Mio paese attempts to follow Dutch documentarian Joris Ivens’ tracks while filming L’Italia non è un paese povero / Italy Is Not a Poor Country (1960), portraying the present state of the same spots visited by Ivens nearly fifty years ago.
As with this year’s César ceremony, where director Pascale Ferran read a long manifesto in support of seasonal film workers, art & politics played an important role throughout the David di Donatello evening.
Several prize winners dedicated their award to the year-old movement “Centoautori” (Hundred Authors), which is demanding that the Italian government spend more on cultural projects, making them more accessible to the public. The movement includes a number of film industry luminaries, among them Bernardo Bertolucci, and this year’s nominees Kim Rossi Stuart, Margherita Buy, Marco Bellocchio, and Daniele Luchetti.
Onstage, presenter Michele Placido read an appeal, declaring, “We were a little sleepy. And there were some who said that left-wing directors wanted to make movies with money from the state. That isn’t true. Culture belongs to all Italians.”
“It’s not clear what he meant,” remarked the Roman daily Il Messagero. “But it’s always effective, anyways.”
More to the point was best actor winner Elio Germano, who dedicated his award to “the actors, who are the most hapless people there are. And I dedicate it to all the missionaries of the cinema. It’s beautiful to make movies with love, it’s ugly to do it out of greed. Long live the Centoautori and long live those who fight for the cinema. Enough with making movies at the service of TV.” (Later in the evening, Italian Culture Minister Francesco Rutelli, praised the film-TV symbiosis, but then added, “Long live the movies at the movies.”)
The David di Donatello ceremony was broadcast live on Rai Due, but later three members of the Italian parliament complained that TG3, one of the country’s most important newscasts, failed to inform its viewers of “two important and prestigious moments” in Italian culture: The David di Donatello winners and the Commendation of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, one of Italy’s highest civilian awards, given to Pedro Almodóvar.
The winners of the 2007 National Union of Italian Film Journalists’ Nastri d’Argento will be announced next June 23.
Correction: Due to a translation error, I’d previously misreported that Elio Germano was the one who had said “Long live the movies at the movies.”
51st David di Donatello Awards
The 51st David di Donatello Awards are presented by the Italian Film Academy to films released between March 31, 2006–May 31, 2007.
The 51st David di Donatello Award nominations were announced on May 8, 2007.
The 51st David di Donatello Award winners will be announced at the Gran Teatro di Tor di Quinto in Rome on June 14, 2007.
Best Film / miglior film
Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge
produced by RAICinema, Carlo Degli Esposti, Giorgio Magliulo, Andrea Costantini.
directed by Kim Rossi Stuart
Centochiodi
produced by Luigi Musini, Roberto Cicutto for CinemaUndici and RAICinema
directed by Ermanno Olmi
Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
produced by Cattleya
directed by Daniele Luchetti
Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
produced by Fabrizio Mosca per Titti Film in coll. with RAICinema, in coprod. with Memento Films and Respiro
directed by Emanuele Crialese
* La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
produced by Medusa Film
directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
Best Film from the European Union / miglior film dellUnione Europea
Notes on a Scandal / Diario di uno scandalo by Richard Eyre (20th Century Fox)
Mon meilleur ami / My Best Friend / Il Mio miglior amico by Patrice Leconte (Lucky Red)
The Queen by Stephen Frears (BIM)
* Das Leben der Anderen / The Lives of Others / Le Vite degli altri by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (01)
Volver by Pedro Almodóvar (WB)
Best Foreign Film / miglior film straniero
* Babel by Alejandro González Iñárritu (01)
The Departed by Martin Scorsese (Medusa)
Letters from Iwo Jima / Lettere da Iwo Jima by Clint Eastwood (WB)
Little Miss Sunshine by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (20th Century Fox)
The Pursuit of Happyness / La Ricerca della felicità by Gabriele Muccino (Medusa)
Best Documentary Feature / miglior documentario di lungometraggio
100 anni della nostra storia / 100 Years of Our History by Gianfranco Pannone and Marco S. Puccioni
Bellissime (seconda parte) / Bellissime (part II) by Giovanna Gagliardo
* Il mio paese / My Country by Daniele Vicàri
Souvenir Srebrenica by Luca Rosini
LUdienza è aperta by Vincenzo Marra
Best Director / migliore regista
Marco BELLOCCHIO, Il Regista di matrimoni / The Wedding Director
Emanuele CRIALESE, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Daniele LUCHETTI, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Ermanno OLMI, Centochiodi
* Giuseppe TORNATORE, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best New Director / migliore regista esordiente
Francesco AMATO, Ma che ci faccio qui!
Alessandro ANGELINI, LAria salata / Salty Air
Giambattista AVELLINO, FICARRA e PICONE, Il 7 e L8 / The 7 and the 8
Davide MARENGO, Notturno Bus
* Kim ROSSI STUART, Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge
Best Actor / migliore attore protagonista
Vincenzo AMATO, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
* Elio GERMANO, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Michele PLACIDO, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Giacomo RIZZO, L’Amico di famiglia / Family Friend
Kim ROSSI STUART, Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge
Best Actress / migliore attrice protagonista
Margherita BUY, Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Donatella FINOCCHIARO, Il Regista di matrimoni / The Wedding Director
Giovanna MEZZOGIORNO, Lezioni di volo / Flight Lessons
Laura MORANTE, Liscio
* Ksenia RAPPOPORT, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best Supporting Actor / migliore attore non protagonista
* Giorgio COLANGELI, LAria salata / Salty Air
Ninetto DAVOLI, Uno su due
Ennio FANTASTICHINI, Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Valerio MASTANDREA, N – Io e Napoleone / N.: Napoleon & Me
Riccardo SCAMARCIO, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Best Supporting Actress / migliore attrice non protagonista (ex-aequo)
* Ambra ANGIOLINI, Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Michela CESCON, LAria salata / Salty Air
* Angela FINOCCHIARO, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Sabrina IMPACCIATORE, N – Io e Napoleone / N.: Napoleon & Me
Francesca NERI, La cena per farli conoscere
Best Screenplay / migliore sceneggiatura
Linda FERRI, Federico STARNONE, Francesco GIAMMUSSO, Kim ROSSI STUART, Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge
Ermanno OLMI, Centochiodi
* Sandro PETRAGLIA, Stefano RULLI, Daniele LUCHETTI, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Emanuele CRIALESE, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Giuseppe TORNATORE, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best Producer / migliore produttore
* Donatella BOTTI for BiancaFilm e RAICinema, LAria salata / Salty Air
Luigi Musini, Roberto Cicutto for CinemaUndici and RAICinema, Centochiodi
CATTLEYA, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Fabrizio MOSCA for Titti Film in coll. with RAICinema in coprod. with Memento Films and Respiro, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
MEDUSA FILM, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best Cinematographer / migliore direttore della fotografia
Luca BIGAZZI, L’Amico di famiglia / Family Friend
Agnés GODARD, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Fabio OLMI, Centochiodi
Alessandro PESCI, N – Io e Napoleone / N.: Napoleon & Me
* Fabio ZAMARION, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best Editor / migliore montatore
Francesca CALVELLI, Il Regista di matrimoni / The Wedding Director
* Mirco GARRONE, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Patrizio MARONE, Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Maryline MONTHIEUX, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Massimo QUAGLIA, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best Composer / migliore musicista
* Ennio MORRICONE, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
NEFFA (Giovanni Pellino), Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Franco PIERSANTI, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Teho TEARDO, L’Amico di famiglia / Family Friend
Fabio VACCHI, Centochiodi
Best Original Song / migliore canzone originale
“Centochiodi” by Paolo Fresu, Centochiodi
“FASCISTI SU MARTE” by Corrado Guzzanti, Fascisti su Marte / Fascists on Mars
“EPPUR SENTIRE (UN SENSO DI TE)” by Paolo Buonvino and Elisa Toffoli, Manuale damore capitoli successivi / Manual of Love: The Next Chapters
* “LA PARANZA” and “MI PERSI” by Daniele Silvestri, Notturno Bus
“PASSIONE” by Giovanni Pellino (as NEFFA), Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Best Production Designer / migliore scenografo
* Carlos CONTI, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Andrea CRISANTI, La masseria delle allodole / The Lark Farm
Francesco FRIGERI, N – Io e Napoleone / N.: Napoleon & Me
Giuseppe PIRROTTA, Centochiodi
Tonino ZERA, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Best Costume Designer / migliore costumista
Maria Rita BARBERA, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Nicoletta ERCOLE, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
Maurizio MILLENOTTI, N – Io e Napoleone / N.: Napoleon & Me
Lina NERLI TAVIANI, La masseria delle allodole / The Lark Farm
* Mariano TUFANO, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Best Visual Special Effects / migliori effetti speciali visivi
Frame by Frame, Vision, Spark Digital Ent., Sirenae Film Post, Rebel Think, Martina Venettoni, Stefano Coccia, coordinator Massimo Contini, Fascisti su Marte / Fascists on Mars
FX Italia Digital Group (Enrico Pieracciani), La masseria delle allodole / The Lark Farm
Lumiq Studios – Torino, Il mercante di pietre / Torino, The Stone Merchant
PROXIMA, N – Io e Napoleone / N.: Napoleon & Me
* Letude et la supervision des trucages, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Best Sound / migliore fonico di presa diretta
Marco GRILLO, Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition
Mario IAQUONE, Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge
Pierre-Yves LAVOUE, Nuovomondo / The Golden Door
Gilberto MARTINELLI, La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman
* Bruno PUPPARO, Mio fratello è figlio unico / My Brother Is an Only Child
Best Short Film / miglior cortometraggio
Armando by Massimiliano Camaiti
La Cena di Emmaus by José Corvaglia
* Meridionali senza filtro by Michele Bia
Solo cinque minute / Only Five Minutes by Filippo Soldi
Travaglio by Lele Biscussi
Young David Award / Premio David Giovani
Nuovomondo / The Golden Door by Emanuele Crialese
Notte prima degli esami – oggi / The First Night of the Exams – Tonight by Fausto Brizzi
* Rosso come il cielo / Red As the Sky by Cristiano Bortone
Saturno contro / Saturn in Opposition by Ferzan Ozpetek
La Sconosciuta / The Unknown Woman by Giuseppe Tornatore
Torino Piemonte Commission Award aka Critics Award / Premio Film Commission Torino Piemonte o Premio dei Critici
Anche libero va bene / Along the Ridge by Kim Rossi Stuart
* Centochiodi by Ermanno Olmi
Nuovomondo / The Golden Door by Emanuele Crialese
Il Regista di matrimoni / The Wedding Director by Marco Bellocchio
La Stella che non cè / The Missing Star by Gianni Amelio
David alla Carriera / Lifetime Achievement (Career) David
Carlo Lizzani, Giuliano Montaldo, Armando Trovajoli