David di Donatello Award for Best Director
Awarded forBest director of an Italian film
CountryItaly
Presented byAccademia del Cinema Italiano
First awarded1956 (for direction in films released during the 1955/1956 film season)
Currently held byGiorgio Diritti — Hidden Away (2020)
Websitedaviddidonatello.it

The David di Donatello Award for Best Director (Italian: David di Donatello per il miglior regista) is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, Academy of Italian Cinema) to recognize the outstanding direction of a film director who has worked within the Italian film industry during the year preceding the ceremony.[1] The award was first given in 1956, and became competitive in 1981.[2]

Nominees and winners are selected via runoff voting by all the members of the Accademia.[3][4]

Francesco Rosi is the record holder with six awards in the category, received from 1965 to 1997, followed by Mario Monicelli and Giuseppe Tornatore with four.

Winners and nominees

Below, winners are listed first in the colored row, followed by other nominees.[1]

Gianni Franciolini (right) was the first holder of the award, winning in 1956 for Roman Tales.
Federico Fellini won the award three times from 1957 to 1974, for Nights of Cabiria, La dolce vita, and Amarcord.
Michelangelo Antonioni won in 1961 for La notte.
Ermanno Olmi was nominated five times, winning three times over a span of four decades.
Vittorio De Sica won twice, in 1963 and 1965.
Pietro Germi (left) won twice for Seduced and Abandoned and The Birds, the Bees and the Italians.
Franco Zeffirelli won in 1969 for Romeo and Juliet and in 1972 for Brother Sun, Sister Moon.
Luchino Visconti won twice, for Death in Venice in 1971 and Ludwig in 1974.
Dino Risi won in 1975 for Scent of a Woman.
Mario Monicelli won four times from 1976 to 1990, every year he was nominated.
Ettore Scola won three times from 1978 to 1987, being nominated six times.
Marco Bellocchio won twice in 1980 and 2010.
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani won twice in 1983 and 2012.
Bernardo Bertolucci won in 1988 for The Last Emperor.
Giuseppe Tornatore won four times from 1996 to 2013, being nominated six times.
Roberto Benigni won in 1998 for Life is Beautiful.
Pupi Avati won in 2003 after six nominations.
Paolo Sorrentino won in 2005 for The Consequences of Love and in 2014 for The Great Beauty.
Nanni Moretti won in 2006 for The Caiman, after seven nominations.
Matteo Garrone won three times, in 2009, 2016 and 2019, for Gomorrah, Tale of Tales and Dogman.

1950s

Year Director Film Ref.
1955/56
(1st)
Gianni Franciolini Roman Tales
1956/57
(2nd)
Federico Fellini Nights of Cabiria
1958/59
(4th)
Alberto Lattuada Tempest

1960s

Year Director Film Ref.
1959/60
(5th)
Federico Fellini La dolce vita
1960/61
(6th)
Michelangelo Antonioni La notte
1961/62
(7th)
Ermanno Olmi Il posto
1962/63
(8th)
Vittorio De Sica The Condemned of Altona
1963/64
(9th)
Pietro Germi Seduced and Abandoned
1964/65
(10th)
Vittorio De Sica Marriage Italian-Style
Francesco Rosi The Moment of Truth
1965/66
(11th)
Alessandro Blasetti Me, Me, Me... and the Others
Pietro Germi The Birds, the Bees and the Italians
1966/67
(12th)
Luigi Comencini Misunderstood
1967/68
(13th)
Carlo Lizzani Bandits in Milan
1968/69
(14th)
Franco Zeffirelli Romeo and Juliet

1970s

Year Director Film Ref.
1969/70
(15th)
Gillo Pontecorvo Burn!
1970/71
(16th)
Luchino Visconti Death in Venice
1971/72
(17th)
Sergio Leone Duck, You Sucker!
Franco Zeffirelli Brother Sun, Sister Moon
1972/73
(18th)
Luchino Visconti Ludwig
1973/74
(19th)
Federico Fellini Amarcord
1974/75
(20th)
Dino Risi Scent of a Woman
1975/76
(21st)
Mario Monicelli My Friends
Francesco Rosi Illustrious Corpses
1976/77
(22nd)
Mario Monicelli An Average Little Man
Valerio Zurlini The Desert of the Tartars
1977/78
(23rd)
Ettore Scola A Special Day
1978/79
(24th)
Francesco Rosi Christ Stopped at Eboli

1980s

Year Director Film Ref.
1979/80
(25th)
Marco Bellocchio A Leap in the Dark
Gillo Pontecorvo Ogro
1980/81
(26th)
Francesco Rosi Three Brothers
Luigi Comencini Voltati Eugenio
Ettore Scola Passion of Love
1981/82
(27th)
Marco Ferreri Tales of Ordinary Madness
Salvatore Piscicelli The Opportunities of Rosa
Carlo Verdone Talcum Powder
1982/83
(28th)
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani The Night of the Shooting Stars
Gianni Amelio Blow to the Heart
Ettore Scola That Night in Varennes
1983/84
(29th)
Ettore Scola Le Bal
Federico Fellini And the Ship Sails On
Nanni Loy Where's Picone?
1984/85
(30th)
Francesco Rosi Carmen
Pupi Avati Bank Clerks
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Kaos
1985/86
(31st)
Mario Monicelli Let's Hope It's a Girl
Federico Fellini Ginger and Fred
Nanni Moretti The Mass Is Ended
1986/87
(32nd)
Ettore Scola The Family
Pupi Avati Christmas Present
Francesco Maselli A Tale of Love
1987/88
(33rd)
Bernardo Bertolucci The Last Emperor
Federico Fellini Intervista
Nikita Sergeevič Mikhalkov Dark Eyes
1988/89
(34th)
Ermanno Olmi The Legend of the Holy Drinker
Marco Risi Forever Mery
Giuseppe Tornatore Cinema Paradiso

1990s

Year Director Film Ref.
1989/90
(35th)
Mario Monicelli Dark Illness
Gianni Amelio Open Doors
Pupi Avati The Story of Boys & Girls
Federico Fellini The Voice of the Moon
Nanni Loy Scugnizzi
Nanni Moretti Red Wood Pigeon
1990/91
(36th)
Marco Risi Boys on the Outside
Ricky Tognazzi Ultrà
Francesca Archibugi Towards Evening
Daniele Luchetti The Yes Man
Gabriele Salvatores Mediterraneo
1991/92
(37th)
Gianni Amelio The Stolen Children
Marco Risi The Rubber Wall
Carlo Verdone Maledetto il giorno che t'ho incontrato
1992/93
(38th)
Roberto Faenza Jonah Who Lived in the Whale
Ricky Tognazzi The Escort
Francesca Archibugi The Great Pumpkin
1993/94
(39th)
Carlo Verdone Let's Not Keep in Touch
Nanni Moretti Caro diario
Pasquale Pozzessere Father and Son
1994/95
(40th)
Mario Martone Nasty Love
Gianni Amelio Lamerica
Alessandro D'Alatri No Skin
1995/96
(41st)
Giuseppe Tornatore The Star Maker
Bernardo Bertolucci Stealing Beauty
Carlo Lizzani Celluloide
Paolo Virzì August Vacation
1996/97
(42nd)
Francesco Rosi The Truce
Roberto Faenza Marianna Ucrìa
Wilma Labate My Generation
Gabriele Salvatores Nirvana
Maurizio Zaccaro The Game Bag
1997/98
(43rd)
Roberto Benigni Life Is Beautiful
Mario Martone Rehearsals for War
Paolo Virzì Ovosodo
1998/99
(44th)
Giuseppe Tornatore The Legend of 1900
Bernardo Bertolucci Besieged
Giuseppe Piccioni Fuori dal mondo

2000s

Year Director Film Ref.
1999/00
(45th)
Silvio Soldini Bread and Tulips
Marco Bechis Olympic Garage
Ricky Tognazzi Canone inverso
2000/01
(46th)
Gabriele Muccino The Last Kiss
Marco Tullio Giordana One Hundred Steps
Nanni Moretti The Son's Room
2001/02
(47th)
Ermanno Olmi The Profession of Arms
Giuseppe Piccioni Light of My Eyes
Silvio Soldini Burning in the Wind
2002/03
(48th)
Pupi Avati Incantato
Marco Bellocchio My Mother's Smile
Matteo Garrone The Embalmer
Gabriele Muccino Remember Me, My Love
Ferzan Özpetek Facing Windows
2003/04
(49th)
Marco Tullio Giordana The Best of Youth
Pupi Avati Christmas Rematch
Marco Bellocchio Good Morning, Night
Sergio Castellitto Don't Move
Matteo Garrone First Love
2004/05
(50th)
Paolo Sorrentino The Consequences of Love
Gianni Amelio The Keys to the House
Davide Ferrario After Midnight
Andrea and Antonio Frazzi A Children's Story
Ferzan Özpetek Cuore Sacro
2005/06
(51st)
Nanni Moretti The Caiman
Antonio Capuano Mario's War
Michele Placido Romanzo Criminale
Sergio Rubini Our Land
Carlo Verdone My Best Enemy
2006/07
(52nd)
Giuseppe Tornatore The Unknown Woman
Marco Bellocchio The Wedding Director
Emanuele Crialese Nuovomondo
Daniele Luchetti My Brother is an Only Child
Ermanno Olmi One Hundred Nails
2007/08
(53rd)
Andrea Molaioli The Girl by the Lake
Cristina Comencini Black and White
Antonello Grimaldi Quiet Chaos
Carlo Mazzacurati The Right Distance
Silvio Soldini Days and Clouds
2008/09
(54th)
Matteo Garrone Gomorrah
Pupi Avati Giovanna's Father
Fausto Brizzi Many Kisses Later
Giulio Manfredonia Si può fare
Paolo Sorrentino Il Divo

2010s

Year Director Film Ref.
2009/10
(55th)
Marco Bellocchio Vincere
Giorgio Diritti The Man Who Will Come
Ferzan Özpetek Loose Cannons
Giuseppe Tornatore Baarìa
Paolo Virzì The First Beautiful Thing
2010/11
(56th)
Daniele Luchetti La nostra vita
Marco Bellocchio Sorelle Mai
Saverio Costanzo The Solitude of Prime Numbers
Claudio Cupellini A Quiet Life
Michelangelo Frammartino Le Quattro Volte
Paolo Genovese The Immature
Mario Martone Noi credevamo
Luca Miniero Benvenuti al Sud
2011/12
(57th)
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Caesar Must Die
Emanuele Crialese Terraferma
Marco Tullio Giordana Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy
Nanni Moretti We Have a Pope
Ferzan Özpetek Magnificent Presence
Paolo Sorrentino This Must Be the Place
2012/13
(58th)
Giuseppe Tornatore The Best Offer
Bernardo Bertolucci Me and You
Matteo Garrone Reality
Gabriele Salvatores Siberian Education
Daniele Vicari Diaz – Don't Clean Up This Blood
2013/14
(59th)
Paolo Sorrentino The Great Beauty
Carlo Mazzacurati The Chair of Happiness
Ferzan Özpetek Fasten Your Seatbelt
Ettore Scola How Strange to Be Named Federico
Paolo Virzì Human Capital
2014/15
(60th)
Francesco Munzi Black Souls
Saverio Costanzo Hungry Hearts
Mario Martone Leopardi
Nanni Moretti Mia Madre
Ermanno Olmi Greenery Will Bloom Again
2015/16
(61st)
Matteo Garrone Tale of Tales
Claudio Caligari Don't Be Bad
Paolo Genovese Perfect Strangers
Gianfranco Rosi Fire at Sea
Paolo Sorrentino Youth
2016
(62nd)
Paolo Virzì Like Crazy
Marco Bellocchio Sweet Dreams
Edoardo De Angelis Indivisible
Claudio Giovannesi Fiore
Matteo Rovere Italian Race
2017
(63rd)
Jonas Carpignano A Ciambra
Gianni Amelio Tenderness
Paolo Genovese The Place
Manetti Bros. Ammore e malavita
Ferzan Özpetek Napoli velata
2018
(64th)
Matteo Garrone Dogman
Valeria Golino Euphoria
Luca Guadagnino Call Me By Your Name
Mario Martone Capri-Revolution
Alice Rohrwacher Happy as Lazzaro
2019
(65th)
Marco Bellocchio The Traitor
Matteo Garrone Pinocchio
Claudio Giovannesi Piranhas
Pietro Marcello Martin Eden
Matteo Rovere The First King: Birth of an Empire
2020
(66th)
Giorgio Diritti Hidden Away
Gianni Amelio Hammamet
Emma Dante The Macaluso Sisters
Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo Bad Tales
Susanna Nicchiarelli Miss Marx

Multiple wins and nominations

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Chronology". daviddidonatello.it (in Italian). Accademia del Cinema Italiano. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  2. ^ Lancia, Enrico (1998). I premi del cinema [The awards of cinema] (in Italian). Rome, Italy: Gremese Editore. pp. 251–252. ISBN 8877422211.
  3. ^ "Regolamento". daviddidonatello.it (in Italian). Accademia del Cinema Italiano. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  4. ^ Niola, Gabriele (12 December 2018). "Ecco i nuovi David di Donatello: nuova giuria, nuovo sistema di votazione, nuovi possibili candidati. Fuori lo streaming". Badtaste.it (in Italian). Retrieved 12 December 2018.

External links

David di Donatello Award for Best Director
David di Donatello
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