Matteo Garrone’s Oscar-nominated drama “Io Capitano,” about the odyssey of two young African men who decide to leave Dakar to reach Europe, and Paola Cortellesi’s feminist dramedy “There’s Still Tomorrow” were both the big winners at Italy’s 69th David di Donatello Awards.
“Io Capitano” won Davids for best picture, director, producers, editor, and cinematographer, among other prizes, while “Still Tomorrow,” which is about the plight of an abused housewife in post-war Rome and had 19 nominations scored six statuettes, including best directorial debut, actress, non supporting actress, screenplay, and audience award.
“Still Tomorrow,” which marks the directorial debut of popular Italian actor Paola Cortellesi, who also stars, is shot in black-and-white and riffs on Italy’s neorealist past, albeit with a contemporary female empowerment angle.
“I made this debut at the brink of menopause,” Cortellesi, who is 50, said while accepting the statuette for best debuting director. “I hope younger first-time directors will also be able to get industry support,” she added.
“There’s Still Tomorrow,” which was produced by Mario Gianani for Wildside, a Fremantle Company, on a roughly €8 million ($8.6 million) budget grossed more than $39 million in Italy last year, beating “Barbie” locally, and is currently performing well in France where it has made $4.4 million since its mid-March release.
“The road to gender balance is still uphill but we must reverse this trend, and not only in cinema,” said David di Donatello Academy president Piera Detassis earlier in the day during a ceremony when a large Italian film industry contingent met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale palace. Detassis also noted that this year’s awards celebrate “acclaimed auteurs but at the same time include many debuts.”
The other frontrunner was Marco Bellocchio’s “Kidnapped,” the true story of a Jewish boy taken from his family and forced to convert to Catholicism in 19th century Italy, which won Davids for best adapted screenplay, production design, costumes, makeup and hair.
Special Davids went to veteran Italian stage and screen actress Milena Vukotic who has worked with Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel and Andrei Tarkovsky, among other masters, and beloved film and pop culture journalist, writer, and TV personality Vincenzo Mollica. The career honor went to Italy’s “Godfather of disco” Giorgio Moroder, who produced singles for Donna Summer, including “Love to Love You Baby” and “I Feel Love,” and is considered one of disco music’s primary architects.
Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” took the took the best foreign film award.
The Davids were held at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios, which are undergoing a radical renewal and have become a magnet for Hollywood productions such as Roland Emmerich’s gladiator series “Those About to Die.”
See the complete list of 2024 David Awards winners below.
PICTURE
“Io Capitano,” Matteo Garrone
DIRECTOR
Matteo Garrone, “Io Capitano”
DEBUT DIRECTOR
“There’s Still Tomorrow,” Paola Cortellesi
PRODUCER
“Io Capitano,” Matteo Garrone, Paolo Del Brocco
ACTRESS
Paola Cortellesi, “There’s Still Tomorrow”
ACTOR
Michele Riondino, “Palazzina Laf”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emanuela Fanelli, “There’s Still Tomorrow”
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Elio Germano, “Palazzina Laf”
SCREENPLAY
Furio Andreotti, Giulia Calenda, Paola Cortellesi “There’s Still Tomorrow”
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Marco Bellocchio, Susanna Nichiarelli, “Kidnapped”
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Paolo Carnera, “Io Capitano”
EDITING
Marco Spoletini, “Io Capitano”
DOCUMENTARY
“Somebody Down There Likes Me,” Mario Martone
SCORE
Subsonica, “Adagio”
ORIGINAL SONG
“La Mia Terra,” in the film “Palazzina Laf.” Music by Diodato. Performed by Diodato.
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Andrea Castorina, Valeria Vecellio, “Kidnapped”
COSTUME DESIGN
Sergio Ballo, Daria Calvelli, “Kidnapped”
MAKEUP ARTIST
Enrico Iacoponi, “Kidnapped”
HAIR ARTIST
Alberta Giuliani, “Kidnapped”
SOUND
Maricetta Lombardo, Daniela Bassani, Mirko Perri, Gianni Pallotto – “Io Capitano”
DIGITAL EFFECTS
Laurent Creusot, Massimo Cipollina, “Io Capitano”
AUDIENCE AWARD
“There’s Still Tomorrow,” Paola Cortellesi
DAVID YOUTH AUDIENCE AWARD
“There’s Still Tomorrow,” Paola Cortellesi
BEST SHORT
“The Meatseller,” Margherita Giusti
BEST FOREIGN FILM
“Anatomy of a Fall,” Justine Triet
CAREER DAVID
Giorgio Morder
SPECIAL DAVID
Milena Vukotic
SPECIAL DAVID
Vincenzo Mollica
