The David di Donatello 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. The award was first given in 1956, and became competitive in 1981.
Nominees and winners are selected via runoff voting by all the members of the Accademia.
Francesco Rosi is the record holder with six awards in the category, received from 1965 to 1997, followed by Marco Bellocchio, Mario Monicelli and Giuseppe Tornatore with four.
Maura Delpero became the first woman to win in 2025.
Winners and nominees Below, winners are listed first in the colored row, followed by other nominees.
1950s Year Director(s) English Title Original Title1955/56 Gianni Franciolini Roman Tales Racconti romani 1956/57 Federico Fellini Nights of Cabiria Le notti di Cabiria 1958/59 Alberto Lattuada Tempest La tempesta
1960s Year Director(s) Film1959/60(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(s) Film1969/70(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(s) Film1979/80(25th) Marco Bellocchio A Leap in the Dark Gillo Pontecorvo Ogro 1980/81(26th) Francesco Rosi Three Brothers Luigi Comencini 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(s) Film1989/90(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 Street Kids 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 Invisible Wall Carlo Verdone Damned the Day I Met You 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(s) Film 2000 Silvio Soldini Bread and Tulips Marco Bechis Olympic Garage Ricky Tognazzi Canone inverso 2001 Gabriele Muccino The Last Kiss Marco Tullio Giordana One Hundred Steps Nanni Moretti The Son's Room 2002 Ermanno Olmi The Profession of Arms Giuseppe Piccioni Light of My Eyes Silvio Soldini Burning in the Wind 2003 Pupi Avati Incantato Marco Bellocchio My Mother's Smile Matteo Garrone The Embalmer Gabriele Muccino Remember Me, My Love Ferzan Özpetek Facing Windows 2004 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 2005 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 Sacred Heart 2006 Nanni Moretti The Caiman Antonio Capuano Mario's War Michele Placido Romanzo Criminale Sergio Rubini Our Land Carlo Verdone My Best Enemy 2007 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 2008 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 2009 Matteo Garrone Gomorrah Pupi Avati Giovanna's Father Fausto Brizzi Many Kisses Later Giulio Manfredonia We Can Do That Paolo Sorrentino Il Divo
2010s Year Director(s) Film 2010 Marco Bellocchio Vincere Giorgio Diritti The Man Who Will Come Ferzan Özpetek Loose Cannons Giuseppe Tornatore Baarìa Paolo Virzì The First Beautiful Thing 2011 Daniele Luchetti La nostra vita Marco BellocchioSorelle Mai Saverio Costanzo The Solitude of Prime Numbers Claudio Cupellini A Quiet Life Michelangelo Frammartino Le Quattro Volte Paolo Genovese The Immature Mario Martone We Believed Luca Miniero Benvenuti al Sud 2012 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 2013 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 2014 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 2015 Francesco Munzi Black Souls Saverio Costanzo Hungry Hearts Mario Martone Leopardi Nanni Moretti Mia Madre Ermanno Olmi Greenery Will Bloom Again 2016 Matteo Garrone Tale of Tales Claudio Caligari Don't Be Bad Paolo Genovese Perfect Strangers Gianfranco Rosi Fire at Sea Paolo Sorrentino Youth 2017 Paolo Virzì Like Crazy Marco Bellocchio Sweet Dreams Edoardo De Angelis Indivisible Claudio Giovannesi Fiore Matteo Rovere Italian Race 2018 Jonas Carpignano A Ciambra Gianni Amelio Tenderness Paolo Genovese The Place Manetti Bros. Love and Bullets Ferzan Özpetek Napoli velata 2019 Matteo Garrone Dogman Valeria Golino Euphoria Luca Guadagnino Call Me By Your Name Mario Martone Capri-Revolution Alice Rohrwacher Happy as Lazzaro
2020s Year Director(s) Film 2020 Marco Bellocchio The Traitor Matteo Garrone Pinocchio Claudio Giovannesi Piranhas Pietro Marcello Martin Eden Matteo Rovere The First King: Birth of an Empire 2021 Giorgio Diritti Hidden Away Gianni Amelio Hammamet Emma Dante The Macaluso Sisters Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo Bad Tales Susanna Nicchiarelli Miss Marx 2022 Paolo Sorrentino The Hand of God Leonardo Di Costanzo The Inner Cage Giuseppe Tornatore Ennio Gabriele Mainetti Freaks Out Mario Martone The King of Laughter 2023 Marco Bellocchio Exterior Night Gianni Amelio Lord of the Ants Roberto Andò Strangeness Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch The Eight Mountains Mario Martone Nostalgia 2024 Matteo Garrone Io capitano Alice Rohrwacher La chimera Marco Bellocchio Kidnapped Andrea Di Stefano Last Night of Amore Nanni Moretti A Brighter Tomorrow 2025 Maura Delpero Vermiglio Francesca Comencini The Time It Takes Valeria Golino The Art of Joy Paolo Sorrentino Parthenope Andrea Segre The Great Ambition
Multiple wins and nominations
The following individuals have won multiple Best Director awards: Wins Director 6 Francesco Rosi 4 Mario Monicelli Giuseppe Tornatore Marco Bellocchio 3 Federico Fellini Matteo Garrone Ermanno Olmi Ettore Scola 2 Vittorio De Sica Pietro Germi Gillo Pontecorvo Paolo Sorrentino Taviani brothers Ricky Tognazzi Luchino Visconti Franco Zeffirelli
The following directors have received three or more Best Director nominations (* indicates no wins): Nominations Director 10 Marco Bellocchio 7 Gianni Amelio Federico Fellini Nanni Moretti 6 Pupi Avati Matteo Garrone Ferzan Özpetek* Francesco Rosi Ettore Scola Giuseppe Tornatore 5 Mario Martone Ermanno Olmi Paolo Sorrentino Paolo Virzì 4 Bernardo Bertolucci Mario Monicelli Carlo Verdone 3 Paolo Genovese* Marco Tullio Giordana Daniele Luchetti Marco Risi Gabriele Salvatores* Silvio Soldini Taviani brothers Ricky Tognazzi
See also Nastro d'Argento for Best Director Academy Award for Best Director BAFTA Award for Best Direction César Award for Best Director European Film Award for Best Director Goya Award for Best Director
References
External links
Daviddidonatello.it (official website)