# Alice Rohrwacher

Alice Rohrwacher (Italian: , German:; born 29 December 1981) is an Italian film director, editor, and screenwriter. She made her directorial debut with Heavenly Body (2011). She has since directed notable films such as The Wonders (2014), winner of the Grand Prix; Happy as Lazzaro (2018), which she also wrote and which received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay; and La chimera (2023). Her short Le pupille (2022) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

## Early life

Rohrwacher was born in Fiesole, Tuscany, to an Italian mother and German father. She lived as a youth in the village of Castel Giorgio, Umbria, where her mother was born and her father Reinhard worked as a beekeeper. Her older sister is Alba Rohrwacher, who became an actress in Italy. After studying Classics at the University of Turin, she specialized in screenwriting at the Holden School in Turin.

## Career

Her first experience in filmmaking was in 2006, when she directed a part of the Italian documentary Checosamanca.
In 2011, she directed her first feature film, Heavenly Body, which premiered at the Directors' Fortnight during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.
Her second feature film, The Wonders, won the Grand Prix at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Also in 2014, Rohrwacher was appointed the President of the International Jury for the “Luigi De Laurentiis” Venice Award for a Debut Film at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.
She announced filming of her third work, Lazzaro Felice in 2017; the film starred Sergi López and Rohrwacher's sister Alba Rohrwacher. The film premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Screenplay, which Rohrwacher wrote. It was released by Netflix in December of that year.
In June 2018, Rohrwacher was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Rohrwacher was invited to serve on the jury at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. In 2023, she was nominated together with Alfonso Cuarón for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for their short Le pupille (2022); the award was won by An Irish Goodbye.
Her feature film La chimera (2023), starring Josh O'Connor and Isabella Rossellini, premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or.
In 2024, Rohrwacher co-directed with JR the short film An Urban Allegory, which will make its world premiere out of competition at the 81st Venice International Film Festival.

## Style

Bong Joon-ho described her work as "a mix of magic realism and neorealism, innocent characters butting up against corrupt behemoths".

## Favorite films

In 2022, Rohrwacher listed her 10 favorite films in a Sight & Sound poll.
* Strike (1925)
* Miracle in Milan (1951)
* Vagabond (1985)
* La Terra vista dalla Luna (1967)
* Nights of Cabiria (1957)
* Getting to Know the Big, Wide World (1980)
* The Color of Pomegranates (1969)
* Tale of Tales (1979)
* The Blue Planet (1981)
* Le Havre (2011)

## Filmography
### As filmmaker

| Year | Title | Director | Screenwriter | Notes |
| 2006 | Checosamanca | Yes | No | Documentary film |
| 2011 | Heavenly Body | Yes | Yes | Feature film |
| 2014 | The Wonders | Yes | Yes | Feature film |
| 2014 | 9x10 novanta | Yes | Yes | Documentary film (segment: "Una canzone") |
| 2015 | De Djess | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 2018 | Happy as Lazzaro | Yes | Yes | Feature film |
| 2021 | Futura | Yes | No | Documentary film |
| 2022 | Le pupille | Yes | Yes | Short film |
| 2023 | La chimera | Yes | Yes | Feature film |
| 2024 | An Urban Allegory | Yes | — | Short film. Co-directed with JR. |

### Other work

| Year | Title | Director | Screenwriter | Cinematographer | Editor | Notes |
| 2005 | Un piccolo spettacolo | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Documentary film |
| 2008 | Boygo | No | No | No | Yes | Short film |
| 2008 | Tradurre | No | No | No | Yes | Documentary film |
| 2009 | In tempo, ma rubato | No | No | No | Yes | Documentary film |
| 2009 | Residuo fisso | No | No | Yes | Yes | Documentary short |
| 2020 | My Brilliant Friend | Yes | No | No | No | HBO series; 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Ad una mela | Yes | No | No | No | Trailer for the Vienna International Film Festival |

## Accolades

| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result |
| Academy Awards | 2022 | Best Live Action Short Film | Le pupille | Nominated |
| Abu Dhabi Film Festival | 2014 | Black Pearl Award | The Wonders | Won |
| Cannes Film Festival | 2011 | Caméra d'Or | Heavenly Body | Nominated |
| Cannes Film Festival | 2014 | Grand Prix | The Wonders | Won |
| Cannes Film Festival | 2018 | Best Screenplay | Happy as Lazzaro | Won |
| Cannes Film Festival | 2021 | L'Œil d'or | Futura | Nominated |
| Cannes Film Festival | 2023 | Palme d'Or | La chimera | Nominated |
| Chicago International Film Festival | 2018 | Gold Hugo | Happy as Lazzaro | Won |
| David di Donatello | 2011 | Best New Director | Heavenly Body | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2019 | Best Film | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2019 | Best Director | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2019 | Best Original Screenplay | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2022 | Best Documentary | Futura | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2024 | Best Film | La chimera | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2024 | Best Director | La chimera | Nominated |
| David di Donatello | 2024 | Best Original Screenplay | La chimera | Nominated |
| European Film Awards | 2018 | European Film | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| European Film Awards | 2018 | European Director | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| European Film Awards | 2018 | European Screenwriter | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| European Film Awards | 2018 | European University Film Award | Happy as Lazzaro | Won |
| Filmfest München | 2014 | CineVision Award | The Wonders | Won |
| Gothenburg Film Festival | 2012 | Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award | Heavenly Body | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | 2019 | Best International Film | Happy as Lazzaro | Nominated |
| Nastro d'Argento | 2011 | Best New Director | Heavenly Body | Won |
| Nastro d'Argento | 2023 | Nastro d’Argento speciale | Le pupille | Won |
| Telluride Film Festival | 2023 | Silver Medallion | — | Won |