La grazia by Paolo Sorrentino is the big winner of the 80th Nastri d’Argento Awards, an annual ceremony whose prize-winners are decided upon by Italy’s National Syndicate of Film Journalists (SNGCI). The film by the Oscar-decorated Neapolitan director, which was presented in a premiere in last year’s Venice Film Festival – and absent from the most recent David di Donatello Awards’ winners list, despite 14 nominations – scooped eight of the nine trophies for which it was nominated, imposing itself in the categories of Best Film and Best Director.

Sorrentino also bagged the Best Screenplay Prize, while the film’s cast nabbed three significant awards: Anna Ferzetti was crowned Best Actress, Toni Servillo won the Nastro for Best Actor jointly with Valerio Mastandrea, thanks to Paolo Virzì’s Five Seconds, and Milvia Marigliano triumphed as Best Supporting Actress. La grazia also won Best Cinematography via Daria D’Antonio and Best Sound thanks to Emanuele Cecere and Mirko Perri. The production team likewise claimed a trophy, represented by The Apartment together with Numero 10 and PiperFilm.

Primavera by Damiano Michieletto stood tall among the various debut works in the running, walking away with three Nastro awards: Best First Film, Best Score and Best Costumes. Another victorious actor, in addition to the afore-mentioned trio, was Francesco Gheghi, who bagged Best Supporting Actor for Vincenzo Alfieri’s 40 secondi. Dedicated to the murder of Willy Monteiro Duarte, the film also earned trophies for editing and casting. The Holy Boy and Duse likewise won awards (Best Subject and Best Set Design, respectively).

The prize for Best Comedy, for its part, went to Life is Life by Riccardo Milani, while other awards in this category were won by Claudia Pandolfi, for 2 cuori e 2 capanne by Massimiliano Bruno, and Giuseppe Battiston, who toplined Antonio Albanese’s Lavoreremo da grandi.

The 80th edition of the Nastri d’Argento Awards also paid tribute to women in film by way of a special prize, as explained by SNGCI president Laura Delli Colli, for “women from different generations and different educational paths, to ensure the number 8 which features in this anniversary becomes an infinite good wish for other women”. Homage was paid to Alba Rohrwacher, Teresa Saponangelo, Francesca Archibugi, Laura Samani, Tilde Corsi, Nicoletta Ercole, Francesca Amitrano and Chiara Milani.

For the record, the Nastro Award of the Year was won by Gennaro Nunziante’s Buen Camino, which recorded the highest ever takings in the history of Italian cinema, earning 70 million euros at the box office.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Film
La grazia - Paolo Sorrentino (Italy)

Best Director
Paolo Sorrentino - La grazia

Best New Director
Damiano Michieletto - Primavera (Italy/France)

Best Comedy
Life is Life - Riccardo Milani (Italy)

Best Actress
Anna Ferzetti - La grazia

Best Actor (tie-break)
Valerio Mastandrea – Five Seconds (Italy)
Toni Servillo - La grazia

Best Supporting Actress
Milvia Marigliano - La grazia

Best Supporting Actor
Francesco Gheghi - 40 secondi (Italy)

Best Comedy Actress
Claudia Pandolfi - 2 cuori e 2 capanne (Italy)

Best Comedy Actor
Giuseppe Battiston - Lavoreremo da grandi (Italia)

Best Subject
La valle dei sorrisi - Jacopo Del Giudice, Paolo Strippoli, Milo Tissone (Italy/Slovenia)

Best Screenplay
La grazia - Paolo Sorrentino

Best Cinematography
Daria D’Antonio - La grazia

Best Set Design
Gaspare De Pascali together with Carlotta Desmann - Duse (Italy/France)

Best Costumes
Maria Rita Barbera, Gaia Calderone - Primavera

Best Editing
Vincenzo Alfieri - 40 secondi

Best Sound
Emanuele Cecere, Mirko Perri - La grazia

Best Casting Director
Marco Matteo Donat-Cattin, Federica Baglioni - 40 secondi

Best Score
Fabio Massimo Capogrosso - Primavera

Best Original Song
“Le cose non dette” – Things We Don’t Say (Italy)

Nastro Award of the Year
Buen Camino - Gennaro Nunziante (Italy)

Special Nastri
Monica Guerritore – Anna (Italy)

‘8 PER 80’ – Women in Film
Alba Rohrwacher, Teresa Saponangelo, Francesca Archibugi, Laura Samani, Tilde Corsi, Nicoletta Ercole, Francesca Amitrano, Chiara Milani
Giancarlo Giannini – The voice of Il Vangelo di Giuda
Barbara Bouchet - Finale: Allegro

SIAE Award for Best Screenplay
Giulia Calenda

BNL BNP Paribas Prize
Sweetheart - Margherita Spampinato (Italy)

Claudio Nobis Foundation Award
Mariano Rigillo - La salita (Italy)

Hamilton Behind the Camera Award
Andrea De Sica – The Eyes of Others (Italy)

Guglielmo Biraghi Prize
Beatrice Savignani – Things We Don’t Say

Graziella Bonacchi Prize
Adalgisa Manfrida – The Last Slap (Italy/Slovenia)

New IMAIE Award
Tommaso Cassissa, Adriano Moretti - Notte prima degli esami 3.0 (Italy)

Campo Marzio Silver Pen Award
For the winners of the Nastri d’Argento Best Screenplay awards

Italo Prize
Francesco Gheghi