I’ve been saying that I won’t reveal my choices for the winners of the David di Donatello Awards until the contest is over, but I just can’t hide my admiration for Donatella Finocchiaro.
Donatella Finocchiaro for Best Actress!
This is her year; she deserves it. Already nominated three times (for Angela in 2001, The Wedding Director (Il Regista di Matrimoni) in 2006, and for Galantuomini in 2008), this year she was considered for her roles in Emanuele Crialese’s Terraferma and Roberta Torre’s I Bac Mai Dati (Lost Kisses), and nominated for Terraferma. I like her because of the diverse roles she takes, from the greedy, selfish mother in I Baci Mai Dati to the mysterious bride in The Wedding Director, she’s always convincing.
Also nominated, Micaela Ramazzotti, who has already won the best actress award in 2010 for The First Beautiful Thing (La Prima Cosa Bella). This year she’s up for her role in Carlo Verdone’s Posti in Piedi in Paradiso. Ramazzotti is married to director Paolo Virzì, and let’s just say, I don’t think she’d be where she is today without him.
Claudia Gerini is an accomplished actress that has been nominated for Il Mio Domani (my tomorrow), a movie about a woman having an affair with her boss. Claudia does it all; from the wacky Iris in I Love Iris Blond, to the betrayed wife in Don’t Move, she’s no one trick pony. You can see her in The Passion of the Christ, The Unknown Woman, and Under The Tuscan Sun, and she’ll be in Matteo Garrone’s Reality, which will be in competition at Cannes this year. I can’t say I’d be unhappy if she won the best actress award, but I don’t think that Il Mio Domani will get her there.
Yet another veteran actress, Valeria Golino, is nominated this year for her role in La Kryptonite Nella Borsa (Kryptonite in the purse). You probably first noticed Valeria Golino with Tom Cruise in Rain Man, but since then, she’s done other English language movies, like Frida and Big Top Pee Wee, but Italian movie fans know her from Respiro, Giulia Non Esce La Sera, La Ragazza del Lago, and Caos Calma. Valeria, like Donatella, is overdue for a best actress award.
Finally, Zhao Taol is nominated for her role in Io sono Li (I am Li). Zhao Taol is a Chinese actress who has starred in several films by Jia Zhangke. She was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi, which is also the hometown of the heroine that she played in Still Life. Andrea Segre’s Io Sono Li was screened in the Venice Days section of the 68th Venice International Film Festival.
Check out my Pinterest board, Best Actress 2012, for more pictures and trailers.
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