One More Thing About Isabella Ragonese – She’s a 2012 Shooting Star

Every year a group of young, talented, European actors and actresses are chosen as SHOOTING STARS, and this year, Isabella Ragonese is one of them.

Shooting Stars are recognized for their outstanding work in feature films and have proven themselves ready to expand their film careers beyond their home countries to the world’s screens. From February 11 to 13, European Film Promotion (EFP) will showcase these newcomers from around Europe at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival, running February 9 – 19, 2012. EFP member organizations had nominated 23 candidates for final selection by the jury of internationally established film industry professionals. SHOOTING STARS is part of EFP’s annual programme that is financially supported by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union and the participating EFP member organisations.

Now in its 15th year the annual event at the Berlinale supports and champions young European actors, including Isabella, honoring them at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.

The Jury’s comments about Isabella: Ragonese is an actress of great versatility and deep intelligence, with a commanding ability to present a clear emotional journey on screen. This makes her an extremely accessible screen presence, capable of fragility, intensity, sophistication and edginess.

Thirty-year-old Isabella graduated from Michele Perriera’s Scuola Teatès in 2000 and made her film acting debut with a small role in Emanuele Crialese’s GOLDEN DOOR in 2006. She followed this with leads in Paolo Virzi’s HER WHOLE LIFE AHEAD – which earned her a Nastro d’Argento nomination and the Premio “Guglielmo Biraghi” and in Donatella Maiorca’s historical drama PURPLE SEA. Her performances in ONE LIFE MAYBE TWO and OUR LIFE won the Nastro d’Argento in 2010 and were nominated for this year’s David di Donatello Awards. In 2010, she could be seen at the Venice Film Festival in the lead of Giorgia Cecere’s THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT. Isabella has since worked on Silvio Muccino’s ANOTHER WORLD and Massimo Venier’s ONE DAY MORE.

The rest of the Shooting Stars for 2012:

France: Adèle Haenel, Germany: Anna Maria Mühe, Iceland: Hilmar Gudjónsson, Ireland: Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Poland: Jakub Gierszał, Romania: Ana Ularu, Sweden: Bill Skarsgård, Switzerland: Max Hubacher and United Kingdom: Riz Ahmed.