«Preview of the David di Donatello lineup: Paola Cortellesi goes on stage to collect the statuette End credits!». This is Fiorello's prophecy pronounced this morning on 'Viva Rai2!'. But will it really be like this? The evening of the Italian Oscars, scheduled live on Rai 1 from 8.35pm hosted by Carlo Conti and Alessia Marcuzzi (it will also be live on the radio on Rai Radio 2, hosted by Andrea Delogu and Stefano Fresi) will not reserve any surprises and will see 'There's Still Tomorrow' by Paola Cortellesi, at the starting line with 19 nominations, triumph as announced and perhaps set the new David wins record? At the moment the scepter of film with the most statuettes is held by 'The Girl by the Lake' by Andrea Molaioli which has obtained ten David di Donatello. 'only' nine for three Oscar-winning films – 'The Great Beauty' by Paolo Sorrentino, 'Life is Beautiful' by Roberto Benigni and 'The Last Emperor' by Bernardo Bertolucci – as well as 'Black Souls' by Francesco Munzi , 'Bread and tulips' by Silvio Soldini, 'The profession of weapons' by Ermanno Olmi and 'Dogman' by Matteo Garrone.
The 69th edition of the David di Donatello Awards, broadcast for the first time in 4K (on the Rai4K channel, number 210 of Tivùsat), will take place in the iconic Cinecittà studios, increasingly a point of reference for national and international productions thanks to a industrial and creative relaunch that makes it a global leader. Fabrizio Biggio will be there to welcome artists and talent on the red carpet. During the ceremony, twenty-five David di Donatello and Special David Awards will be awarded.
All applications
Nineteen nominations for 'There's Still Tomorrow', therefore. But it won't be a solo by Paola Cortellesi. In fact, there are twenty other films competing for the prestigious statuettes which present themselves with fewer but very competitive nominations. To lead the chaseI captain' by Matteo Garrone fresh from Oscar nominations with 15 nominations. Then 'The Chimera' by Alice Rohrwacher (13), 'Kidnapped' by Marco Bellocchio (11) and 'Commander' by Edoardo De Angelis (10). They follow 'The sun of the future' by Nanni Moretti (7), 'Slowly' by Stefano Sollima (5), 'Laf building' by Michele Riondino (5), 'The last night of Love' by Andrea Di Stefano (4), 'Disco Boy' by Giacomo Abbruzzese (2), 'Happiness' by Micaela Ramazzotti (2), 'Mixed By Erry' by Sydney Sibilia (2), 'Oddities of love' by Giuseppe Fiorello (2), 'One Hundred Sundays' by Antonio Albanese (1), 'Like sheep among wolves' by Lyda Patitucci (1), 'Shark teeth' by Davide Gentile (1), 'The most beautiful century of my life' by Alessandro Bardani (19), 'The last time we were children' by Claudio Bisio (1), 'The scarlet sails' by Pietro Marcello (1), 'Lubo' by Giorgio Diritti (1) and 'Mercy' by Emma Dante (1).
Two Davids for Lifetime Achievement this edition
To Milena Vukotic, an actress of great elegance for authors such as Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli, Luis Bunuel and Ettore Scola, and to the Oscar winner Giorgio Moroder, composer and record producer, one of the great Italian excellences in the world.
The David Speciale 2024 will go to Vincenzo Mollica, journalist, writer, author, television and radio host, who has reported on the world of entertainment in Italy for over forty years.
The other prizes
'Anatomie d'une chute' (Anatomy of a Fall) by Justine Triet wins the David for Best International Film, while 'There's Still Tomorrow' by Paola Cortellesi is the film that won the David dello Spectatore, while the best short film is 'The Meatseller' by Margherita Giusti.
The guests of the evening
Among the guests of the evening, all the David candidates, the Oscar-winning directors Justine Triet and Paolo Sorrentino, the actresses Claudia Gerini, Eleonora Giorgi, Elena Sofia Ricci and Isabella Rossellini, the actors Federico Ielapi, Nicolas Maupas and Josh O'Connor, the singers Malika Ayane and Giorgia, the singers Irama and Mahmood.
Directed from Cinecittà Theater 5
Hosting the live broadcast will be the legendary Teatro 5 of Cinecittà, a “temple” of great national and international cinema, which will become the home of the Davids for one night. A widespread narrative of the new history of the iconic studios, which will include the residential stage of Theater 14, a single set that contains five settings, and Theater 18, the Volume Stage for virtual production, among the largest in Europe, which will host different moments of the ceremony. Cinecittà will present itself as the home of talent and the production ecosystem, a construction site for the continually evolving future, a symbol of the creative magic of cinema and its capacity for renewal.
The Jury of the Academy of Italian Cinema – David di Donatello Awards assigns 20 awards to films released in Italy from 1 January to 31 December 2023 in cinemas, 1 David Award for international cinema and 1 David Award for Best Documentary. There will be 20 David awards for Italian cinema: film, director, directorial debut, original screenplay, non-original screenplay (adaptation), producer, leading actress, leading actor, supporting actress, supporting actor, cinematographer, composer, original song, set design, costumes, makeup, hairstyle, editing, sound, VFX visual effects.
The presentation in the Quirinale and the irony of Teresa Mannino
«What are we doing here in the Corazzieri room if the nominations were already known and the prizes will be given out this evening at Cinecittà? Then you come here, you look around and you understand that there is a reason: cinema is an important thing.” It begins like this, in the sign of soft irony, Teresa Mannino, who hosts the presentation of the candidates for the David di Donatello at the Quirinale. On the part of the actress, a moderate and intelligent presentation with a single catchphrase: Paola Cortellesi, nominated for 19 awards. Mannino points out, with a hint of malice, to the entire audience gathered at the Quirinale that Cortellesi must continually stand up at each reading of the candidates as the ceremonial requires.
Cortellesi: the real reward is the public's reception
«My joy and my true reward was to see my film welcomed by a cheering audience wherever I went on my long tour. An audience, among other things, made up of 45 percent men. Something that makes you think.” So today at the Quirinale Paola Cortellesi at the presentation of the David di Donatello for which she is running with her There is still tomorrow with 19 nominations after having already won the public's David. An aspect also underlined by Piera Detassis, president of the Accademia dei David, who said during her speech: “It is the first time that a work like There's Still Tomorrow, which won the public prize, also runs as best film.”
Mattarella: “We need the sensitivity of cinema”
“Our cinema contains in its DNA a tension towards the national dimension. This tension is enriched with the creativity so widely expressed, with the national and international successes, with the rereading of history, of the events, of the protagonists, with the values of humanity, with feelings that help strengthen the sense of community. We need cinema. Its sensitivity, its art, its plural visions have made us know and appreciate these capabilities.” This was said by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, speaking at the Quirinale at the presentation ceremony of the candidates for the “David di Donatello” Awards for the year 2024.