TORONTO – The nominees for the David Di Donatello Awards were recently announced, marking the 70th year for the event – which is Italy’s equivalent to the Oscars. The ceremony will be held on May 7th at Cinecittà Studios and broadcast live on Rai 1, hosted by Carlo Conti and Alessia Marcuzzi. The big winners from last year’s edition included Matteo Garrone’s African Odyssey film Io Capitano, which won the Best Picture and Best Director awards, and Paolo Cortellessi’s black and white box office sensation There’s Still Tomorrow. 

This year’s frontrunners are Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope and Andrea Segre’s The Great Ambition, with 15 nominations apiece. Sorrentino’s latest film however fell flat with critics, earning an aggregate score of 45% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52% on Metacritic. Parthenope follows the journey of a young seductress as she comes of age in Napoli. The film, thin on dramaturgy – or at least that’s the charge – offers a surplus of nudity and male gaze as it explores both the delights and superficialities of sex and sexuality.

And while the Italian Academy of Cinema chose Sorrentino’s film as the Belle of the Ball, American critics snubbed their noses. Does this mean that Italian and American sensibilities are diametrically opposed? Maybe. Or perhaps the political correctness in Italy hasn’t quite reached North America’s militant standards. Some critics were undoubtedly put off by Parthenope’s subject matter – but why? Because it posits a power in female youth and beauty, and furthermore, that the benefits are fleeting. It’s a theme as old as time. And not entirely specific to females.

The star of Parthenope, Celeste Dalla Porta has also been nominated for Best Actress. An impressive feat for her debut role in a feature film, one she earned after a lengthy audition process. This will likely be highlighted on the night, as the Donatellos will also be introducing a new catergory this year, for Best Casting Director. The Casting Director or Supervisor has long been in contention for a dedicated nomination, not only in Italy but in Hollywood. In fact, The Oscars will be inaugurating the category in 2026.

Many argue that recognition for the Casting Director’s role is long overdue and that it should’ve have always been part of the official ceremony. There’s certainly a strong argument for it, although if you consider how many Italian actors have gone unnoticed or ignored by Hollywood Casting Agents, I’d say there’s much work yet to be done – before patting anyone on the back.

Full nominees for Best Film 
The Great Ambition, dir: Andrea Segre
The Time It Takes, dir: Francesca Comencini
L’arte della gioia, dir: Valeria Golino
Parthenope, dir: Paolo Sorrentino
Vermiglio, dir: Maura Delpero

(Image of Celeste Dalla Porta courtesy of Warner Brother Pictures)     

Massimo Volpe is a filmmaker and freelance writer from Toronto: he writes reviews of Italian films/content on Netflix