Jump to content

Giovanna Mezzogiorno

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Giovanna Mezzogiorno
Mezzogiorno at the2010 Cannes Film Festival
Born(1974-11-09)9 November 1974(age 49)
Rome,Italy
OccupationActress
Children2
ParentVittorio Mezzogiorno

Giovanna Mezzogiorno(Italian pronunciation:[dʒoˈvannaˌmɛddzoˈdʒorno];born 9 November 1974) is an Italian theatre and film actress.

Early life[edit]

Mezzogiorno was born in Rome, 9 November 1974, a daughter of actorsVittorio Mezzogiornoand Cecilia Sacchi. She grew up watching her parents on set. At first, she wanted to become a ballerina, and she studied dancing for 13 years. After her father's death when she was 19, Mezzogiorno moved to Paris, where she attended the stages by Arianne Mnouchkine and worked for two years at the Peter Brook Workshop. She made her stage debut with the role of Ofelia inQui est là,based onShakespeare'sHamlet.The play toured various European cities. She received the Premio Coppola-Prati 1996, the jury was presided over by theatre critic Franco Quadri. One year later, she made her film debut inIl viaggio della sposa(The Bride's Journey), written by and starring Sergio Rubini. Mezzogiorno was awarded the Targa d'Argento as the New Talent in Italian Cinema, she was also given theGrolla d'oro,and the Globo d'Oro by the Foreign Press Association and the Premio Flaiano as Best Actress of the 1997 - 1998 season.

Career[edit]

Mezzogiorno (right) along withStefania Sandrellishows off herCoppa Volpi

In 1998, Mezzogiorno starred in the filmDel perduto amoredirected byMichele Placido,withFabrizio BentivoglioandSergio Rubini(she was awarded theNastro d'Argento,theCiak d'OroandPremio Pasinettias best actress in a starring role) and, for the Italian National Television NetworkRaiDue,in a film made-for-TVPiù leggero non basta( "A lighter burden to bear" ) in the role of a young girl with muscular dystrophy, directed byElisabetta LodoliwithStefano Accorsi.

In 1999, Mezzogiorno played the role of Silvia, daughter of Enzo Tortora by whose mistaken conviction the film was inspired. The filmUn uomo perbenewith Michele Placido andMariangela Melato,was directed byMaurizio Zaccaro.In that same year, she worked in Asini, directed byAntonello Grimaldi,with celebrated Italian comedianClaudio Bisio.

In 2000, she travelled betweenPragueand Paris for work in the TV miniseriesLes Miserables,directed byJosée Dayan,withGérard DepardieuandJohn Malkovich.She worked in Denmark inNobel,directed byFabio Carpi,withHéctor Alterio.In Italy, she worked with Puglielli inTutta la conoscenza del mondo( "All There Is to Know" ), and then,L'ultimo bacio( "The Last Kiss" ) directed byGabriele Muccinowith Stefano Accorsi andStefania Sandrelli(winning thePremio Flaiano). With the success of this last movie Giovanna become really famous in Italy.

In 2001, Mezzogiorno appeared in the filmMalefemmenewithÁngela Molinaand directed byFabio Conversi,in the role of Francesca, who was imprisoned following a judicial error and came into contact with the reality of friendship and attachment which she had never imagined possible. She also worked onStai con me,withAdriano Gianniniand directed byLivia Giampalmo,in the role of a mother of twins.

In 2002, she worked on the set ofIlaria Alpi- Il più crudele dei giorni,in the role of the protagonist, directed byFerdinando Vicentini Orgnani(the film tells the tragic and dark story of the Italian TV journalist killed inMogadiscio). She also starred in France in the Holocaust-period TV dramaEntrusted,directed byGiacomo Battiato,withKlaus Maria Brandauer,Thomas Brodie-SangsterandSteven Moyer,based onLoup Duran's best-seller. In Italy, she starred in the filmLa finestra di fronte( "Facing windows" ) directed byFerzan Özpetek,costarringMassimo GirottiandRaoul Bova.This film, critically acclaimed and a box office success, earned her a lot of awards: theDavid di Donatello,theCiak d’Oro,theNastro d'Argento,theGlobo d'oroby the Foreign Press, theFlaiano Award,theKarlovy Vary Awardas "Best Actress in a Leading Role".

Mezzogiorno starred in the filmL’amore ritorna,directed by Sergio Rubini, costarring Fabrizio Bentivoglio andMargherita Buy.She also worked in France, on the set of her first comedy:Au secours, j'ai 30 ans,directed byMarie-Anne Chazel,withPierre Palmade.

In 2004, Mezzogiorno worked in the TV movieVirginia (La monaca di Monza),directed byAlberto Sironi.She then returned to the theatre, working with the directorPiero Maccarinelliin4.48 Psicosi,written bySarah Kane.

Mezzogiorno at the Venice Film Festival 2009.

In 2005,La bestia nel cuore( "Don't Tell" ), directed byCristina Comencini,was an Academy Award candidate for Best Foreign Language Film, earning Mezzogiorno one of the most important international prizes for an actress: theCoppa Volpi,previously won byShirley MacLaine,Gong Li,Isabelle Huppert,Catherine DeneuveandSophia Loren.

In 2006, Mezzogiorno acted inAD Project,a sci-fi thriller byEros Puglielli,and acted in "Lezioni di Volo" ( "Flying Lessons" ) byFrancesca Archibugi.

In 2007, she appeared as Leila, a sexy thief, in theblack comedyNotturno Bus( "Night Bus" ), directed byDavide Marengoand starringValerio MastandreaandEnnio Fantastichini.

She travelled toColombiato become Fermina Daza, the principal female character fromLove in the Time of Cholerabased on the book written by Nobel Prize winnerGabriel García Márquezand directed byMike Newell(Four Weddings and a Funeral).

After appearing in two films shot in 2008,Sono VivaandPalermo ShootingbyWim Wenders,in 2009 she achieved great international success withVincerebyMarco Bellocchio,selected for the official competition in Cannes and a solid candidate for the final award.

Mezzogiorno narrated and produced a documentary to celebrate the career of her father Vittorio, 15 years after his sudden death in 1994.

She was a member of the jury at theCannes Film Festivalin May 2010.[1]In January 2011, she was rewarded with theNational Society of Film CriticsAward for Best Actress 2010for her role inVincere.

In 2017, Mezzogiorno appeared in the role of Adriana in the film calledNapoli velata(Naples in Veils).[2]

Personal life[edit]

On the set of the film Lighter is not Enough (1998) she metStefano Accorsi,who became her long-time partner. On the set ofVincereshe met the driver Alessio Fugolo, whom she married in 2009 in Griante with a civil ceremony.[3]She has two sons, Leone and Zeno, born 26 August 2011.[4]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Bride's Journey Porzia Colonna Italian Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress
Flaiano Prizefor Best Actress
1998 Of Lost Love Liliana Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
Golden Ciakfor Best Actress
Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Actress
1999 Più leggero non basta Elena TV movie
1999 Asini Anna
1999 A Respectable Man Silvia Tortora
2000 Les Misérables Soeur Simplice TV mini-series
2001 The Last Kiss Giulia Flaiano Prizefor Best Actress
Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Actress
Nominated—Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
Nominated—Italian Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
2001 Bad Women Francesca
2001 Nobel Eleonora
2001 Tutta la conoscenza del mondo Giovanna
2002 The Cruelest Day Ilaria Alpi Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
2003 Facing Windows Giovanna David di Donatello for Best Actress
Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
Italian Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
Golden Ciakfor Best Actress
2003 Entrusted Maria von Gall TV movie
2004 Love Returns Lena Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress
2004 Stay with Me Chiara
2004 Il club delle promesse Kathy
2004 Virginia, la monaca di Monza Virginia Maria de Leyva TV movie
2005 Les murs porteurs Manou
2005 The Beast in the Heart Sabina Volpi Cup for Best Actress
Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Actress
Nominated—Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
2006 AD Project Gaia
2006 Flying Lessons Chiara Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Actress
Nominated—Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
2007 Love in the Time of Cholera Fermina Daza
2007 Night Bus Leila Ronchi
2008 L'amore non basta Martina
2008 Palermo Shooting Flavia
2009 Vincere Ida Dalser Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
Italian Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress
Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Actress
2009 The Front Line Susanna Ronconi Nominated—Italian Golden Globe Award for Best Actress
2010 Sono viva Stefania
2010 Basilicata Coast to Coast Tropea Limongi
2013 Vinodentro Adele
2014 The Dinner Clara
2016 Alex & Co: How to Grow Up Despite Your Parents Mary Riley
2017 Tenderness Elena Nominated—Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress
2017 Naples in Veils Adriana Nominated—David di Donatello for Best Actress
2020 The Ties
2020 The Time of Indifference Lisa
2022 Amanda Viola

References[edit]

  1. ^Rebecca Leffler (15 April 2010)."Cannes reveals Competition lineup".The Hollywood Reporter.Retrieved2 January2018.
  2. ^"Giovanna Mezzogiorno: Vi svelo i miei segreti"[Giovanna Mezzogiorno: I'm revealing my secrets to you].Amica(in Italian). 19 December 2017.Retrieved2 January2018.
  3. ^"Giovanna Mezzogiorno sposa sul lago di Como".ilGiornale.it(in Italian). 26 October 2009.Retrieved18 July2022.
  4. ^D’Antuono, Jacopo (4 October 2020)."GIOVANNA MEZZOGIORNO/" I miei figli hanno avuto dei problemi, io costretta a... "".IlSussidiario.net(in Italian).Retrieved18 July2022.

External links[edit]