Rivista online registrata al Tribunale di Napoli n. 43 del 23/03/2022
Direttore: Lorenzo Crea
Editore: Visio Adv di Alessandro Scarfiglieri
Insight italia srl (concessionario esclusivo)
Rivista online registrata al Tribunale di Napoli n. 43 del 23/03/2022
Direttore: Lorenzo Crea
Editore: Visio Adv di Alessandro Scarfiglieri
Insight italia srl (concessionario esclusivo)
An emotional night at Cinecittà celebrated bold auteur filmmaking, honored masters like Gianni Amelio and Vittorio Storaro, and confirmed a generational shift in Italian cinemaTher…
By Serena Trivelloni · May 7, 2026 · ≈ 4 min
By Serena Trivelloni · May 7, 2026 · ≈ 4 min
There was a moment during the 71st edition of the David di Donatello Awards when the room seemed to hold its breath.
Inside Cinecittà’s Teatro 23, the audience rose for a long standing ovation as filmmaker Gianni Amelio accepted the David alla Carriera, Italy’s lifetime achievement honor. On the screens behind him rolled scenes from Il ladro di bambini, Lamerica, Così ridevano, and Le chiavi di casa - films that shaped generations of Italian cinema and chronicled the country’s moral and social fractures with rare humanity.
It was one of the defining moments of a ceremony that felt unusually intimate, emotional and deeply cinematic.
Far less focused on spectacle than many recent editions, the 2026 David di Donatello Awards turned their attention firmly toward filmmakers, stories and artistic identity. The atmosphere inside Cinecittà carried both celebration and uncertainty, reflecting an industry currently grappling with financial strain, shrinking production resources and an ongoing debate over the future of Italian cinema.
And perhaps that is exactly why the night belonged to Le città di pianura (“The Cities of the Plains”), the quietly poetic film directed by Francesco Sossai, which emerged as the evening’s undisputed winner with eight awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
What initially appeared to be a small, contemplative arthouse project ultimately became the symbolic triumph of the ceremony - a film that represents a new generation of Italian auteurs choosing intimacy over spectacle and emotional truth over commercial formulas.
Taking the stage multiple times throughout the night, Sossai appeared visibly overwhelmed. In one of the ceremony’s most sincere speeches, he described filmmaking as “an act of stubbornness,” a line that quickly resonated far beyond the room.
Because these David Awards seemed to acknowledge something larger than a single movie: Italian cinema is changing. And it is doing so by rewarding films rooted in vulnerability, silence and human complexity.
Another emotional high point came with Aurora Quattrocchi’s win for Best Actress for Gioia mia. Her understated acceptance speech drew some of the loudest applause of the night. Meanwhile, Matilda De Angelis further cemented her status as one of the leading faces of contemporary Italian cinema with her Best Supporting Actress win for Fuori.
The evening also paid tribute to cinema’s visual masters.
Legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro - three-time Academy Award winner for films including Apocalypse Now, The Last Emperor and Reds - received the Premio Speciale Cinecittà David 71, honoring artists who helped make Cinecittà and Italian cinema internationally iconic.
In presenting the award, organizers described Storaro as an artist “who writes with light,” praising his ability to transform cinematography into visual poetry. The tribute became not only a celebration of an extraordinary career, but also a reminder of Italian cinema’s craftsmanship and global influence.
Another warmly received tribute went to animation pioneer Bruno Bozzetto, who received the David Speciale for a body of work that influenced generations of European animators while maintaining a uniquely sharp and ironic voice.
Yet the ceremony was not disconnected from the political realities surrounding the industry.
Outside Cinecittà, film workers and cultural organizations staged demonstrations highlighting the ongoing crisis affecting Italian film production and public funding. Their presence added a sharper political undertone to the ceremony than in previous years, reinforcing the sense that Italian cinema is currently at a crossroads.
The night also made room for urgent contemporary themes. The Best Short Film award went to Everyday in Gaza by Omar Rammal, bringing the human cost of war directly into the heart of the ceremony and reminding audiences of cinema’s enduring role as testimony and witness.
Hosted by Bianca Balti and Flavio Insinna, the broadcast balanced elegance with spontaneity, moving between humor, tributes and moments of genuine emotional weight. But unlike many awards shows dominated by celebrity spectacle, the 2026 David di Donatello ultimately belonged to the films themselves.
Their silences. Their fragility. Their courage.
And above all, to a national cinema searching for renewal by returning to what once made it essential.
