# David di Donatello for Best Director

The David di Donatello Award 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 Mario Monicelli and Giuseppe Tornatore with four.

## Winners and nominees

Below, winners are listed first in the colored row, followed by other nominees.

### 1950s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 1955/56 (1st) |
| 1955/56 (1st) | Gianni Franciolini | Roman Tales |
| 1956/57 (2nd) | | |
| 1956/57 (2nd) | Federico Fellini | Nights of Cabiria |
| 1958/59 (4th) | | |
| 1958/59 (4th) | Alberto Lattuada | Tempest |

### 1960s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 1959/60 (5th) |
| 1959/60 (5th) | Federico Fellini | La dolce vita |
| 1960/61 (6th) | | |
| 1960/61 (6th) | Michelangelo Antonioni | La notte |
| 1961/62 (7th) | | |
| 1961/62 (7th) | Ermanno Olmi | Il posto |
| 1962/63 (8th) | | |
| 1962/63 (8th) | Vittorio De Sica | The Condemned of Altona |
| 1963/64 (9th) | | |
| 1963/64 (9th) | Pietro Germi | Seduced and Abandoned |
| 1964/65 (10th) | | |
| 1964/65 (10th) | Vittorio De Sica | Marriage Italian-Style |
| 1964/65 (10th) | Francesco Rosi | The Moment of Truth |
| 1965/66 (11th) | | |
| 1965/66 (11th) | Alessandro Blasetti | Me, Me, Me... and the Others |
| 1965/66 (11th) | Pietro Germi | The Birds, the Bees and the Italians |
| 1966/67 (12th) | | |
| 1966/67 (12th) | Luigi Comencini | Misunderstood |
| 1967/68 (13th) | | |
| 1967/68 (13th) | Carlo Lizzani | Bandits in Milan |
| 1968/69 (14th) | | |
| 1968/69 (14th) | Franco Zeffirelli | Romeo and Juliet |

### 1970s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 1969/70 (15th) |
| 1969/70 (15th) | Gillo Pontecorvo | Burn! |
| 1970/71 (16th) | | |
| 1970/71 (16th) | Luchino Visconti | Death in Venice |
| 1971/72 (17th) | | |
| 1971/72 (17th) | Sergio Leone | Duck, You Sucker! |
| 1971/72 (17th) | Franco Zeffirelli | Brother Sun, Sister Moon |
| 1972/73 (18th) | | |
| 1972/73 (18th) | Luchino Visconti | Ludwig |
| 1973/74 (19th) | | |
| 1973/74 (19th) | Federico Fellini | Amarcord |
| 1974/75 (20th) | | |
| 1974/75 (20th) | Dino Risi | Scent of a Woman |
| 1975/76 (21st) | | |
| 1975/76 (21st) | Mario Monicelli | My Friends |
| 1975/76 (21st) | Francesco Rosi | Illustrious Corpses |
| 1976/77 (22nd) | | |
| 1976/77 (22nd) | Mario Monicelli | An Average Little Man |
| 1976/77 (22nd) | Valerio Zurlini | The Desert of the Tartars |
| 1977/78 (23rd) | | |
| 1977/78 (23rd) | Ettore Scola | A Special Day |
| 1978/79 (24th) | | |
| 1978/79 (24th) | Francesco Rosi | Christ Stopped at Eboli |

### 1980s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 1979/80 (25th) |
| 1979/80 (25th) | Marco Bellocchio | A Leap in the Dark |
| 1979/80 (25th) | Gillo Pontecorvo | Ogro |
| 1980/81 (26th) | | |
| 1980/81 (26th) | Francesco Rosi | Three Brothers |
| 1980/81 (26th) | Luigi Comencini | Voltati Eugenio |
| 1980/81 (26th) | Ettore Scola | Passion of Love |
| 1981/82 (27th) | | |
| 1981/82 (27th) | Marco Ferreri | Tales of Ordinary Madness |
| 1981/82 (27th) | Salvatore Piscicelli | The Opportunities of Rosa |
| 1981/82 (27th) | Carlo Verdone | Talcum Powder |
| 1982/83 (28th) | | |
| 1982/83 (28th) | Paolo and Vittorio Taviani | The Night of the Shooting Stars |
| 1982/83 (28th) | Gianni Amelio | Blow to the Heart |
| 1982/83 (28th) | Ettore Scola | That Night in Varennes |
| 1983/84 (29th) | | |
| 1983/84 (29th) | Ettore Scola | Le Bal |
| 1983/84 (29th) | Federico Fellini | And the Ship Sails On |
| 1983/84 (29th) | Nanni Loy | Where's Picone? |
| 1984/85 (30th) | | |
| 1984/85 (30th) | Francesco Rosi | Carmen |
| 1984/85 (30th) | Pupi Avati | Bank Clerks |
| 1984/85 (30th) | Paolo and Vittorio Taviani | Kaos |
| 1985/86 (31st) | | |
| 1985/86 (31st) | Mario Monicelli | Let's Hope It's a Girl |
| 1985/86 (31st) | Federico Fellini | Ginger and Fred |
| 1985/86 (31st) | Nanni Moretti | The Mass Is Ended |
| 1986/87 (32nd) | | |
| 1986/87 (32nd) | Ettore Scola | The Family |
| 1986/87 (32nd) | Pupi Avati | Christmas Present |
| 1986/87 (32nd) | Francesco Maselli | A Tale of Love |
| 1987/88 (33rd) | | |
| 1987/88 (33rd) | Bernardo Bertolucci | The Last Emperor |
| 1987/88 (33rd) | Federico Fellini | Intervista |
| 1987/88 (33rd) | Nikita Sergeevič Mikhalkov | Dark Eyes |
| 1988/89 (34th) | | |
| 1988/89 (34th) | Ermanno Olmi | The Legend of the Holy Drinker |
| 1988/89 (34th) | Marco Risi | Forever Mery |
| 1988/89 (34th) | Giuseppe Tornatore | Cinema Paradiso |

### 1990s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 1989/90 (35th) |
| 1989/90 (35th) | Mario Monicelli | Dark Illness |
| 1989/90 (35th) | Gianni Amelio | Open Doors |
| 1989/90 (35th) | Pupi Avati | The Story of Boys & Girls |
| 1989/90 (35th) | Federico Fellini | The Voice of the Moon |
| 1989/90 (35th) | Nanni Loy | Scugnizzi |
| 1989/90 (35th) | Nanni Moretti | Red Wood Pigeon |
| 1990/91 (36th) | | |
| 1990/91 (36th) | Marco Risi | Boys on the Outside |
| 1990/91 (36th) | Ricky Tognazzi | Ultrà |
| 1990/91 (36th) | Francesca Archibugi | Towards Evening |
| 1990/91 (36th) | Daniele Luchetti | The Yes Man |
| 1990/91 (36th) | Gabriele Salvatores | Mediterraneo |
| 1991/92 (37th) | | |
| 1991/92 (37th) | Gianni Amelio | The Stolen Children |
| 1991/92 (37th) | Marco Risi | The Invisible Wall |
| 1991/92 (37th) | Carlo Verdone | Damned the Day I Met You |
| 1992/93 (38th) | | |
| 1992/93 (38th) | Roberto Faenza | Jonah Who Lived in the Whale |
| 1992/93 (38th) | Ricky Tognazzi | The Escort |
| 1992/93 (38th) | Francesca Archibugi | The Great Pumpkin |
| 1993/94 (39th) | | |
| 1993/94 (39th) | Carlo Verdone | Let's Not Keep in Touch |
| 1993/94 (39th) | Nanni Moretti | Caro diario |
| 1993/94 (39th) | Pasquale Pozzessere | Father and Son |
| 1994/95 (40th) | | |
| 1994/95 (40th) | Mario Martone | Nasty Love |
| 1994/95 (40th) | Gianni Amelio | Lamerica |
| 1994/95 (40th) | Alessandro D'Alatri | No Skin |
| 1995/96 (41st) | | |
| 1995/96 (41st) | Giuseppe Tornatore | The Star Maker |
| 1995/96 (41st) | Bernardo Bertolucci | Stealing Beauty |
| 1995/96 (41st) | Carlo Lizzani | Celluloide |
| 1995/96 (41st) | Paolo Virzì | August Vacation |
| 1996/97 (42nd) | | |
| 1996/97 (42nd) | Francesco Rosi | The Truce |
| 1996/97 (42nd) | Roberto Faenza | Marianna Ucrìa |
| 1996/97 (42nd) | Wilma Labate | My Generation |
| 1996/97 (42nd) | Gabriele Salvatores | Nirvana |
| 1996/97 (42nd) | Maurizio Zaccaro | The Game Bag |
| 1997/98 (43rd) | | |
| 1997/98 (43rd) | Roberto Benigni | Life Is Beautiful |
| 1997/98 (43rd) | Mario Martone | Rehearsals for War |
| 1997/98 (43rd) | Paolo Virzì | Ovosodo |
| 1998/99 (44th) | | |
| 1998/99 (44th) | Giuseppe Tornatore | The Legend of 1900 |
| 1998/99 (44th) | Bernardo Bertolucci | Besieged |
| 1998/99 (44th) | Giuseppe Piccioni | Fuori dal mondo |

### 2000s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 1999/00 (45th) |
| 1999/00 (45th) | Silvio Soldini | Bread and Tulips |
| 1999/00 (45th) | Marco Bechis | Olympic Garage |
| 1999/00 (45th) | Ricky Tognazzi | Canone inverso |
| 2000/01 (46th) | | |
| 2000/01 (46th) | Gabriele Muccino | The Last Kiss |
| 2000/01 (46th) | Marco Tullio Giordana | One Hundred Steps |
| 2000/01 (46th) | Nanni Moretti | The Son's Room |
| 2001/02 (47th) | | |
| 2001/02 (47th) | Ermanno Olmi | The Profession of Arms |
| 2001/02 (47th) | Giuseppe Piccioni | Light of My Eyes |
| 2001/02 (47th) | Silvio Soldini | Burning in the Wind |
| 2002/03 (48th) | | |
| 2002/03 (48th) | Pupi Avati | Incantato |
| 2002/03 (48th) | Marco Bellocchio | My Mother's Smile |
| 2002/03 (48th) | Matteo Garrone | The Embalmer |
| 2002/03 (48th) | Gabriele Muccino | Remember Me, My Love |
| 2002/03 (48th) | Ferzan Özpetek | Facing Windows |
| 2003/04 (49th) | | |
| 2003/04 (49th) | Marco Tullio Giordana | The Best of Youth |
| 2003/04 (49th) | Pupi Avati | Christmas Rematch |
| 2003/04 (49th) | Marco Bellocchio | Good Morning, Night |
| 2003/04 (49th) | Sergio Castellitto | Don't Move |
| 2003/04 (49th) | Matteo Garrone | First Love |
| 2004/05 (50th) | | |
| 2004/05 (50th) | Paolo Sorrentino | The Consequences of Love |
| 2004/05 (50th) | Gianni Amelio | The Keys to the House |
| 2004/05 (50th) | Davide Ferrario | After Midnight |
| 2004/05 (50th) | Andrea and Antonio Frazzi | A Children's Story |
| 2004/05 (50th) | Ferzan Özpetek | Sacred Heart |
| 2005/06 (51st) | | |
| 2005/06 (51st) | Nanni Moretti | The Caiman |
| 2005/06 (51st) | Antonio Capuano | Mario's War |
| 2005/06 (51st) | Michele Placido | Romanzo Criminale |
| 2005/06 (51st) | Sergio Rubini | Our Land |
| 2005/06 (51st) | Carlo Verdone | My Best Enemy |
| 2006/07 (52nd) | | |
| 2006/07 (52nd) | Giuseppe Tornatore | The Unknown Woman |
| 2006/07 (52nd) | Marco Bellocchio | The Wedding Director |
| 2006/07 (52nd) | Emanuele Crialese | Nuovomondo |
| 2006/07 (52nd) | Daniele Luchetti | My Brother is an Only Child |
| 2006/07 (52nd) | Ermanno Olmi | One Hundred Nails |
| 2007/08 (53rd) | | |
| 2007/08 (53rd) | Andrea Molaioli | The Girl by the Lake |
| 2007/08 (53rd) | Cristina Comencini | Black and White |
| 2007/08 (53rd) | Antonello Grimaldi | Quiet Chaos |
| 2007/08 (53rd) | Carlo Mazzacurati | The Right Distance |
| 2007/08 (53rd) | Silvio Soldini | Days and Clouds |
| 2008/09 (54th) | | |
| 2008/09 (54th) | Matteo Garrone | Gomorrah |
| 2008/09 (54th) | Pupi Avati | Giovanna's Father |
| 2008/09 (54th) | Fausto Brizzi | Many Kisses Later |
| 2008/09 (54th) | Giulio Manfredonia | We Can Do That |
| 2008/09 (54th) | Paolo Sorrentino | Il Divo |

### 2010s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 2009/10 (55th) |
| 2009/10 (55th) | Marco Bellocchio | Vincere |
| 2009/10 (55th) | Giorgio Diritti | The Man Who Will Come |
| 2009/10 (55th) | Ferzan Özpetek | Loose Cannons |
| 2009/10 (55th) | Giuseppe Tornatore | Baarìa |
| 2009/10 (55th) | Paolo Virzì | The First Beautiful Thing |
| 2010/11 (56th) | | |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Daniele Luchetti | La nostra vita |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Marco Bellocchio | Sorelle Mai |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Saverio Costanzo | The Solitude of Prime Numbers |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Claudio Cupellini | A Quiet Life |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Michelangelo Frammartino | Le Quattro Volte |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Paolo Genovese | The Immature |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Mario Martone | Noi credevamo |
| 2010/11 (56th) | Luca Miniero | Benvenuti al Sud |
| 2011/12 (57th) | | |
| 2011/12 (57th) | Paolo and Vittorio Taviani | Caesar Must Die |
| 2011/12 (57th) | Emanuele Crialese | Terraferma |
| 2011/12 (57th) | Marco Tullio Giordana | Piazza Fontana: The Italian Conspiracy |
| 2011/12 (57th) | Nanni Moretti | We Have a Pope |
| 2011/12 (57th) | Ferzan Özpetek | Magnificent Presence |
| 2011/12 (57th) | Paolo Sorrentino | This Must Be the Place |
| 2012/13 (58th) | | |
| 2012/13 (58th) | Giuseppe Tornatore | The Best Offer |
| 2012/13 (58th) | Bernardo Bertolucci | Me and You |
| 2012/13 (58th) | Matteo Garrone | Reality |
| 2012/13 (58th) | Gabriele Salvatores | Siberian Education |
| 2012/13 (58th) | Daniele Vicari | Diaz – Don't Clean Up This Blood |
| 2013/14 (59th) | | |
| 2013/14 (59th) | Paolo Sorrentino | The Great Beauty |
| 2013/14 (59th) | Carlo Mazzacurati | The Chair of Happiness |
| 2013/14 (59th) | Ferzan Özpetek | Fasten Your Seatbelt |
| 2013/14 (59th) | Ettore Scola | How Strange to Be Named Federico |
| 2013/14 (59th) | Paolo Virzì | Human Capital |
| 2014/15 (60th) | | |
| 2014/15 (60th) | Francesco Munzi | Black Souls |
| 2014/15 (60th) | Saverio Costanzo | Hungry Hearts |
| 2014/15 (60th) | Mario Martone | Leopardi |
| 2014/15 (60th) | Nanni Moretti | Mia Madre |
| 2014/15 (60th) | Ermanno Olmi | Greenery Will Bloom Again |
| 2015/16 (61st) | | |
| 2015/16 (61st) | Matteo Garrone | Tale of Tales |
| 2015/16 (61st) | Claudio Caligari | Don't Be Bad |
| 2015/16 (61st) | Paolo Genovese | Perfect Strangers |
| 2015/16 (61st) | Gianfranco Rosi | Fire at Sea |
| 2015/16 (61st) | Paolo Sorrentino | Youth |
| 2016 (62nd) | | |
| 2016 (62nd) | Paolo Virzì | Like Crazy |
| 2016 (62nd) | Marco Bellocchio | Sweet Dreams |
| 2016 (62nd) | Edoardo De Angelis | Indivisible |
| 2016 (62nd) | Claudio Giovannesi | Fiore |
| 2016 (62nd) | Matteo Rovere | Italian Race |
| 2017 (63rd) | | |
| 2017 (63rd) | Jonas Carpignano | A Ciambra |
| 2017 (63rd) | Gianni Amelio | Tenderness |
| 2017 (63rd) | Paolo Genovese | The Place |
| 2017 (63rd) | Manetti Bros. | Love and Bullets |
| 2017 (63rd) | Ferzan Özpetek | Napoli velata |
| 2018 (64th) | | |
| 2018 (64th) | Matteo Garrone | Dogman |
| 2018 (64th) | Valeria Golino | Euphoria |
| 2018 (64th) | Luca Guadagnino | Call Me By Your Name |
| 2018 (64th) | Mario Martone | Capri-Revolution |
| 2018 (64th) | Alice Rohrwacher | Happy as Lazzaro |
| 2019 (65th) | | |
| 2019 (65th) | Marco Bellocchio | The Traitor |
| 2019 (65th) | Matteo Garrone | Pinocchio |
| 2019 (65th) | Claudio Giovannesi | Piranhas |
| 2019 (65th) | Pietro Marcello | Martin Eden |
| 2019 (65th) | Matteo Rovere | The First King: Birth of an Empire |

### 2020s

| Year | Director | Film |
| 2020 (66th) |
| 2020 (66th) | Giorgio Diritti | Hidden Away |
| 2020 (66th) | Gianni Amelio | Hammamet |
| 2020 (66th) | Emma Dante | The Macaluso Sisters |
| 2020 (66th) | Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo | Bad Tales |
| 2020 (66th) | Susanna Nicchiarelli | Miss Marx |
| 2021 (67th) | | |
| 2021 (67th) | Paolo Sorrentino | The Hand of God |
| 2021 (67th) | Leonardo Di Costanzo | The Inner Cage |
| 2021 (67th) | Giuseppe Tornatore | Ennio |
| 2021 (67th) | Gabriele Mainetti | Freaks Out |
| 2021 (67th) | Mario Martone | The King of Laughter |
| 2022 (68th) | | |
| 2022 (68th) | Marco Bellocchio | Exterior Night |
| 2022 (68th) | Gianni Amelio | Lord of the Ants |
| 2022 (68th) | Roberto Andò | Strangeness |
| 2022 (68th) | Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch | The Eight Mountains |
| 2022 (68th) | Mario Martone | Nostalgia |

## Multiple wins and nominations

| Wins | Director |
| 6 | Francesco Rosi |
| 4 | Mario Monicelli |
| 4 | Giuseppe Tornatore |
| 3 | Federico Fellini |
| 3 | Matteo Garrone |
| 3 | Ermanno Olmi |
| 3 | Ettore Scola |
| 2 | Marco Bellocchio |
| 2 | Vittorio De Sica |
| 2 | Pietro Germi |
| 2 | Gillo Pontecorvo |
| 2 | Paolo Sorrentino |
| 2 | Taviani brothers |
| 2 | Ricky Tognazzi |
| 2 | Luchino Visconti |
| 2 | Franco Zeffirelli |
| Nominations | Director |
| 7 | Gianni Amelio |
| 7 | Marco Bellocchio |
| 7 | Federico Fellini |
| 7 | Nanni Moretti |
| 6 | Pupi Avati |
| 6 | Matteo Garrone |
| 6 | Ferzan Özpetek* |
| 6 | Francesco Rosi |
| 6 | Ettore Scola |
| 6 | Giuseppe Tornatore |
| 5 | Mario Martone |
| 5 | Ermanno Olmi |
| 5 | Paolo Sorrentino |
| 5 | Paolo Virzì |
| 4 | Bernardo Bertolucci |
| 4 | Mario Monicelli |
| 4 | Carlo Verdone |
| 3 | Paolo Genovese* |
| 3 | Marco Tullio Giordana |
| 3 | Daniele Luchetti |
| 3 | Marco Risi |
| 3 | Gabriele Salvatores* |
| 3 | Silvio Soldini |
| 3 | Taviani brothers |
| 3 | Ricky Tognazzi |