Veteran Stefania Sandrelli (Divorce Italian Style, The Conformist) and Valerio Mastandrea in Paolo Virzi’s The First Beautiful Thing (top); Giuseppe Tornatore’s Baaria (bottom).
Here’s a belated report on the 2010 David di Donatello awards. The nominations for Italy’s Oscars were announced last week.
Paolo Virzi’s La prima cosa bella / The First Beautiful Thing, a sentimental comedy-drama about a bitter man (Valerio Mastandrea) who ends up finding peace with his exuberant – but dying – mother (veteran Stefania Sandrelli), nabbed a surprising 17 nominations.
Marco Bellocchio’s well-regarded Vincere, about Benito Mussolini’s neglected mistress Ida Dalser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) and their son (Filippo Timi, who also plays Mussolini) landed 15 nominations.
Also in the running with 15 nods is Giorgio Diritti’s World War II resistance drama L’uomo che verra’, which has in its center a young peasant girl (Best Actress nominee Greta Zuccheri Montanari) witnessing the horrors of war.
Italy’s submission for the Academy Awards, Giuseppe Tornatore’s Sicilian-set epic melodrama Baaria, landed (only) 13 nominations, while Ferzan Ozpetek’s comedy-drama Mine vaganti / Loose Cannons got 12 nominations. The former is an autobiographical tale featuring three generations of Sicilians; the latter revolves around two gay brothers coming out to their conservative family members, leading to emotional explosions, sibling rivalry (one brother beats the other to it), and a heart attack.
All of the aforementioned films are in the running for Best Picture and Best Director. Baaria missed out on a Best Screenplay nomination; in its place is Marco Risi’s political-crime drama Fortapàsc, about the 1985 mafia murder of a journalist.
Filippo Timi and Giovanna Mezzogiorno Vincere (top); Antonio Albanese and Kim Rossi Stuart Matters of the Heart (bottom)
Among the Best European Union Film nominees for the 2010 David di Donatello awards are Michael Haneke’s European Film Award winner The White Ribbon, Jacques Audiard’s Cesar winner A Prophet, and Fatih Akin’s German Film Award nominee Soul Kitchen.
Outside of the European film world, Italian Academy voters apparently watched only American movies in the last 12 months, as all five nominees in the Best Foreign Film category are Hollywood productions. Among those are James Cameron’s Avatar, Joel and Ethan Coen’s A Serious Man, and Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds.
Among the performers in the running in the Best Actress category are veteran Stefania Sandrelli (the object of Marcello Mastroianni’s desire in Divorce Italian Style back in 1962) as the dying mother in The First Beautiful Thing, Margherita Buy as a woman unable to cope with motherhood in Lo spazio bianco / The White Space, and Giovanna Mezzogiorno, who plays Mussolini’s dejected mistress in Vincere.
Best Actor nominees include David di Donatello favorite Kim Rossi Stuart, who received his sixth acting nomination for Questione di cuore / Matters of the Heart, in which he and fellow nominee Antonio Albanese play heart-attack patients who learn to live life to the fullest; Filippo Timi for his dual role as Mussolini and his son in Vincere; and Valerio Mastandrea for his embittered son making peace with his dying mother in The First Beautiful Thing.
Curiously, Baaria‘s supporting male actors were nominated as one in the Best Supporting Actor category.
The Young David nominees were chosen by about 6,000 Italian college students, while a seven-person jury picked the David di Donatello’s documentary nominees.
The winners of the 54th David di Donatello awards will be announced on May 7 in Rome.
Best Film
BAARÌA
produced by Medusa Film
directed by Giuseppe Tornatore
MINE VAGANTI / LOOSE CANNONS
produced by Domenico Procacci
directed by Ferzan Ozpetek
LA PRIMA COSA BELLA / THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL THING
produced by Fabrizio Donvito, Marco Cohen, Benedetto Habib for Medusa Film
Motorino Amaranto, Indiana Production directed by Paolo Virzì
L’UOMO CHE VERRA’
produced by Aranciafilm (Simone Bachini, Giorgio Diritti), RAI Cinema
directed by Giorgio Diritti
VINCERE
produced by Mario Gianani for Offside
directed by Marco Bellocchio
Best European Union Film
LE CONCERT, Radu Mihaileanu (BIM)
THE WHITE RIBBON, Michael Haneke (Lucky Red)
A PROPHET, Jacques Audiard (BIM)
SOUL KITCHEN, Fatih Akin (BIM)
WELCOME, Philippe Lioret (Teodora Film)
Best Foreign Film
A SERIOUS MAN, by Joel & Ethan Coen (Medusa)
AVATAR, by James Cameron (20th Century Fox)
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, by Quentin Tarantino (Universal) INVICTUS, by Clint Eastwood (WB)
UP IN THE AIR, by Jason Reitman (Universal)
Best Documentary Feature
LA BOCCA DEL LUPO, Pietro Marcello
HOLLYWOOD SUL TEVERE, Marco Spagnoli
L’ISOLA DEI SORDOBIMBI, Stefano Cattini
THE ONE MAN BEATLES – Cercando Emitt Rhodes, Cosimo Messeri
VALENTINA POSTIKA IN ATTESA DI PARTIRE, Caterina Carone
Best Director
Marco BELLOCCHIO, Vincere
Giorgio DIRITTI, L’uomo che verrà
Ferzan OZPETEK, Mine vaganti
Giuseppe TORNATORE, Baarìa
Paolo VIRZÌ, La prima cosa bella
Best New Director
Giuseppe CAPOTONDI, La doppia ora
Marco CHIARINI, L’uomo fiammifero
Valerio MIELI, Dieci inverni
Susanna NICCHIARELLI, Cosmonauta
Claudio NOCE, Good Morning Aman
Best Actress
Margherita BUY, Lo spazio bianco
Giovanna MEZZOGIORNO, Vincere
Micaela RAMAZZOTTI, La prima cosa bella
Stefania SANDRELLI, La prima cosa bella
Greta ZUCCHERI MONTANARI, L’uomo che verrà
Best Actor
Antonio ALBANESE, Questione di cuore
Libero DE RIENZO, Fortapàsc
Valerio MASTANDREA, La prima cosa bella
Kim ROSSI STUART, Questione di cuore
Filippo TIMI, Vincere
Best Supporting Actress
Anita KRAVOS, Alza la testa
Ilaria OCCHINI, Mine vaganti
Claudia PANDOLFI, La prima cosa bella
Elena Sofia RICCI, Mine vaganti
Alba ROHRWACHER, L’uomo che verrà
Best Supporting Actor
Supporting Ensemble, Baarìa
Pier Francesco FAVINO, Baciami ancora
Marco GIALLINI, Io, loro e Lara
Ennio FANTASTICHINI, Mine vaganti
Marco MESSERI, La prima cosa bella
Best Screenplay
Jim CARRINGTON, Andrea PURGATORI, Marco RISI with the assistance of Maurizio CERINO, Fortapàsc
Ivan COTRONEO, Ferzan OZPETEK, Mine vaganti
Francesco BRUNI, Francesco PICCOLO, Paolo VIRZÌ, La prima cosa bella
Giorgio DIRITTI, Giovanni GALAVOTTI, Tania PEDRONI, L’uomo che verrà
Marco BELLOCCHIO, Daniela CESELLI, Vincere
Best Producer
Medusa Film, Baarìa
Bibi Film TV (Angelo Barbagallo), RAI Cinema, Minerva Pictures Group (Gianluca Curti), Fortapàsc
Domenico Procacci, Mine vaganti
Aranciafilm (Simone Bachini, Giorgio Diritti), RAI Cinema, L’uomo che verrà
Mario Gianani for Offside, Vincere
Best Cinematography
Maurizio CALVESI, Mine vaganti
Roberto CIMATTI, L’uomo che verrà
Daniele CIPRÌ, Vincere
Enrico LUCIDI, Baarìa
Nicola PECORINI, La prima cosa bella
Best Film Editing
Massimo QUAGLIA, Baarìa
Patrizio MARONE, Mine vaganti
Simone MANETTI, La prima cosa bella
Giorgio DIRITTI, Paolo MARZONI, L’uomo che verrà
Francesca CALVELLI, Vincere
Best Composer
Ennio MORRICONE, Baarìa
Pasquale CATALANO, Mine vaganti
Carlo VIRZÌ, La prima cosa bella
Marco BISCARINI, Daniele FURLATI, L’uomo che verrà
Carlo CRIVELLI, Vincere
Best Original Song
“Baciami ancora” music by Jovanotti, Saturnino Celani, Riccardo Onori lyrics by Jovanotti, interpreted by Jovanotti, Baciami ancora
“Angela” music and lyrics by Luca Medici in arte Checco Zalone, interpreted by Luca Medici in arte Checco Zalone, Cado dalle nubi
“Sogno” music by Marco Giacomelli, Fabio Petrillo, lyrics by Ilaria Cortese, Nicoletta Strambelli in arte Patty Pravo, Mine vaganti
“21st Century Boy” music and lyrics by Valerio Casini, interpreted by Bad Love Experience, La prima cosa bella
“Canzone in prigione” music by Marlene Kuntz, lyrics by Cristiano Godano, Gian Luca Bergia, Riccardo Tesio
interpreted by Marlene Kuntz, Tutta colpa di Giuda
Best Production Design
Gian Carlo BASILI, L’uomo che verrà
Andrea CRISANTI, Mine vaganti
Marco DENTICI, Vincere
Maurizio SABATINI, Baarìa
Tonino ZERA, La prima cosa bella
Best Costume Design
Sergio BALLO, Vincere
Luigi BONANNO, Baarìa
Alessandro LAI, Mine vaganti
Lia Francesca MORANDINI, L’uomo che verrà
Gabriella PESCUCCI, La prima cosa bella
Best Sound
Faouzi THABET, Baarìa
Bruno PUPPARO, Marco DI BIASE, Genitori e figli:) agitare bene prima dell’uso
Mario IAQUONE, La prima cosa bella
Carlo MISSIDENTI, L’uomo che verrà
Gaetano CARITO, Vincere
Best Visual Effects
Mario ZANOT, Baarìa
EDI – Effetti Digitali Italiani, La prima cosa bella
LIMINA, L’uomo che verrà
Ermanno DI NICOLA, L’uomo fiammifero
Paola TRISOGLIO and Stefano MARINONI for Visualogie, Vincere
Best Make-Up
Gino ZAMPRIOLI, Baarìa
Luigi ROCCHETTI, Erzsebet FORGACS, Mi ricordo Anna Frank
Paola GATTABRUSI, La prima cosa cosa bella
Amel BEN SOLTANE, L’uomo che verrà
Franco CORRIDONI, Vincere
Best Hair Stylist
Giusi BOVINO, Baarìa
Aldo SIGNORETTI, Susana SANCHEZ NUNEZ, Io, Don Giovanni
Massimo GATTABRUSI, La prima cosa bella
Daniela TARTARI, L’uomo che verrà
Alberta GIULIANI, Vincere
Best Documentary Short
L’ALTRA META’, Pippo Mezzapesa
BUONANOTTE, Riccardo Banfi
NUVOLE, MANI, Simone Massi
PASSING TIME, Laura Bispuri
UERRA, Paolo Sassanelli
Young David
BAARÌA, Giuseppe Tornatore
BACIAMI ANCORA, Gabriele Muccino
GENITORI E FIGLI:) AGITARE BENE PRIMA DELL’USO, Giovanni Veronesi
IO, LORO E LARA, Carlo Verdone
L’UOMO CHE VERRA’, Giorgio Diritti
Images: The First Beautiful Thing (Medusa Film); Vincere (Offside); Matters of the Heart (Cinemello / RAI); Baaria (Medusa Film).