09/04/2009

Il Divo [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Nicola Giuliano
interview: Paolo Sorrentino
interview: Philippe Desandre
film profile] and Gomorrah [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Domenico Procacci
interview: Jean Labadie
interview: Matteo Garrone
film profile] are the films of the year, judging by the nominations they received for David di Donatello awards, Italy’s top film honours. The ceremony will be held May 8 (live on RAI SAT Cinema and the recording later on RAI Uno).

The films by Paolo Sorrentino and Matteo Garrone picked up 16 and 11 nominations respectively, including Best Film of the Season (which runs from March 7, 2008 to March 20, 2009).

The Best Film nominees also include Paolo Virzì’s Tutta la vita davanti [+see also:
trailer
film profile], a surprising Ex [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Fausto Brizzi (overall nine nominations plus the Young David) and Giulio Manfredonia’s Si può fare [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (eight nominations plus the Young David).

Pupi Avati is among the five Best Director nominees, for Giovanna’s Father, which picked up four nominations overall.

Besides the producers of Il Divo (Andrea Occhipinti, Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima, Maurizio Coppolecchia) and Gomorrah (Domenico Procacci), also vying for the coveted statuette are Augusto Allegra, Giuliana Gamba, Arturo Paglia and Isabella Cocuzza for Cover Boy, Matteo Garrone for Pranzo di Ferragosto [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Angelo Rizzoli for Si può fare.

The titles vying for Best European Union Film come as no surprise, and have all garnered success at prestigious festivals or as Oscar nominees: The Class [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Carole Scotta
interview: Laurent Cantet
film profile], The Lemon Tree [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Slumdog Millionaire [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Danny Boyle
film profile], The Reader [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Waltz with Bashir [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile].

According to the ANICA president Paolo Ferrari, the 24 Italian David nominees reflect "a very active film season made up of big and little titles, which has gained acclaim abroad,” even though 2009 has already opened with some clouds on the horizon. "There has been a 3% drop at the box office market share of Italian films", said Ferrari, who also appealed to the government. "If the funding cuts are finalised we risk no longer being able to make films like Il Divo and Gomorrah.

(Translated from Italian)