Nastri d'Argento nominees, new category “domestic comedy”

by Camillo de Marco

29/05/2009 - Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah [trailer, film focus] has already been named Film of the Year while Paolo Sorrentino’s Il Divo [trailer, film focus] picked up nine nominations (including Best Director, Producer, Screenplay, Actor, Cinematography and Editing) for the 2009 Nastri d’Argento, the awards given by Italian film journalists, to be held June 27 in Taormina, Sicily.

Also up for Best Director are Marco Bellocchio (Vincere [trailer, film focus], which premiered at Cannes), Pupi Avati (Giovanna’s Father) and Marco Risi (Fortapàsc [trailer]), whose films have six nominations each; and Francesca Archibugi, whose Questione di cuore picked up five nominations and a special prize.

There are 39 features and documentaries competing in the 63rd edition of the awards, of the 120 (49 of which were first films) that were released in Italy from May 1, 2008 through May 24, 2009.

The 20-Year Nastro will be given to renowned Polish director Andrzej Wajda.

New this year is the domestic comedy category, which represents a large share o the market. The five nominees are: Fausto Brizzi’s Ex [trailer], Umberto Carteni’s Diverso da chi? [trailer], Massimo Venier’s Generazione Mille Euro [trailer], Giovanni Veronesi’s Italians [trailer] and Giulio Manfredonia’s Si Può Fare [trailer].

Attention was given to more original films this years an, such as (with four nominations each): Davide Ferrario’s Tutta colpa di Giuda [trailer], Daniele Vicari’s Il passato è una terra straniera [trailer], Gabriele Salvatores’ As God Commands [trailer] and Enzo Monteleone’s Due partite [trailer]. As well as to independent and “invisible” films such as Beket [trailer] and Complici del Silenzio [trailer].

For the entire list of nominees, click here.

(Translated from Italian)