The David di Donatello Awards, named after Donatello's ''

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

'', a symbolic statue of the

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...

, are film awards given out each year by the ''

Accademia del Cinema Italiano The Accademia del Cinema Italiano () is an organization that gives out the David di Donatello Awards. It was founded in 1955 as a part of the Open Gate Club, originally with the name ''Ente David di Donatello''. The organization became independen ...

'' (the Academy of Italian Cinema). There are 26 award categories, as of 2023. The industry-voted awards are considered the Italian equivalent of the American

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

History

The David di Donatello film awards were founded in 1955 by the founding president of AGIS (Italian General Association for Show Business), businessman Italo Gemini, in order to honour the best of each year's Italian and foreign films. It was first awarded in Rome on 5 July 1956. The David di Donatello film awards follow the same criteria as the American

David di Donatello 1961 Sordi Loren Heston

Similar prizes had already existed in Italy for about a decade, such as the

Nastro d'Argento The (plural: ''Nastri d'Argento''; English: Silver Ribbon) is an Italian film award, held since 1946 by the ''Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani'' (Italian National Union of Film Journalists). Awards are given annually in ...

, but these were voted on by

film critics Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: Academic criticism by film scholars, who study the composition of film theory and publish their findin ...

and journalists. The Donatellos are awarded by people within the film industry, including actors, producers, directors, screenwriters, and technicians. After Rome, from 1957 to 1980, the ceremony was held at the Greek Theatre in Taormina during

Taormina Film Fest Taormina Film Fest (TFF) is an annual film festival that takes place at Taormina, Sicily, Italy, in July. It was established in 1955 in Messina, and in 1957 became Rassegna Cinematografica Internazionale di Messina e Taormina, until it moved per ...

, then twice in Florence, finally returning to Rome, always with the support of the

President of the Italian Republic The president of Italy, officially titled President of the Italian Republic (), is the head of state of Italy. In that role, the president represents national unity and guarantees that Italian politics comply with the Constitution. The presid ...

and now with the collaboration of the Rome City Council cultural policies department. The founding organization, now called the

, works in concert with and thanks to the contribution of the Italian

Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture may refer to: * Ministry of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports (Albania) * Ministry of Culture (Algeria) * Ministry of Culture (Argentina) * Minister for the Arts (Australia) * Ministry of Culture (Azerbaijan)Ministry o ...

and Ministry of Tourism. The prizes are awarded primarily to Italian films, with a category dedicated to foreign-language films.

Presidents

The following is a list of presidents of the Academy of Italian Cinema: † Died in office.

Trophy

The David di Donatello trophy is in the form of a gold

statuette, a replica of Donatello's famous sculpture, on a square malachite base with a gold plaque recording the award category, year, and winner. The 1956 ''David'' by

Bulgari Bulgari (, ; stylized as BVLGARI) is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1884 and known for its jewellery, watches, fragrances, accessories, and leather goods. Headquartered in Rome, the company was acquired by the French conglomera ...

, awarded to

Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (4 July 1927 – 16 January 2023) was an Italian actress, model, photojournalist, and sculptor. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and 1960s, a period in which she was an international ...

for ''

Beautiful but Dangerous ''Beautiful but Dangerous'' (; ) is a 1955 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. It is a biographical film about Italian opera soprano Lina Cavalieri. The film is a co-production between Italy and France. For this film, Gi ...

'', was auctioned at

Sotheby's Sotheby's ( ) is a British-founded multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine art, fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...

in 2013.

Award categories

David di Donatello for Best Film The David di Donatello Award for Best Film (Italian: ''David di Donatello per il miglior film'') is one of the David di Donatello awards presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI). The award recognizes the most outstanding Ita ...

David di Donatello for Best Director The David di Donatello for Best Director (Italian language, 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 outst ...

David di Donatello for Best Directorial Debut The David di Donatello for Best Directorial Debut (), known as the prior to 2023, is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize the outstanding feature-film directorial d ...

David di Donatello for Best Producer The David di Donatello Award for Best Producer (Italian: ''David di Donatello per il miglior produttore'') is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding prod ...

David di Donatello for Best Actress The David di Donatello Award for Best Actress () is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize the outstanding performance in a leading role of an actress who has worked ...

David di Donatello for Best Actor The David di Donatello Award for Best Actor (Italian language, Italian: ''David di Donatello per il miglior attore protagonista'') is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to re ...

David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actress The David di Donatello Award for Best Supporting Actress () is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize the outstanding performance in a supporting role of an actres ...

David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor The David di Donatello Award for Best Supporting Actor () is a film award presented by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize the outstanding performance in a supporting role of an actor who has worke ...

David di Donatello for Best Original Screenplay The David di Donatello for Best Original Screenplay () is an award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano since 2017. Together with the David di Donatello for Best Adapted Screenplay, it replaced the integrated David di Donatello ...

David di Donatello for Best Adapted Screenplay The David di Donatello for Best Adapted Screenplay () is an award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano since 2017. Together with the David di Donatello for Best Original Screenplay, it replaced the integrated David di Donatello ...

David di Donatello for Best Cinematography The David di Donatello for Best Cinematography () is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of cinematographers who have worked within ...

David di Donatello for Best Score The David di Donatello for Best Score (), known as the prior to 2021, is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of film music compos ...

David di Donatello for Best Original Song The David di Donatello for Best Original Song () is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI). The award has been given every year since 2005, with three previous attempts in the 1987, 1989 and 1990 editions. Win ...

David di Donatello for Best Production Design The David di Donatello for Best Production Design (), known as the prior to 2018, is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of film p ...

David di Donatello for Best Costumes The David di Donatello for Best Costumes (), known as the prior to 2023, is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of film costume de ...

* David di Donatello for Best Make-up * David di Donatello for Best Hairstyling *

David di Donatello for Best Editing The David di Donatello for Best Editing () is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of film editors who have worked within the Itali ...

David di Donatello for Best Sound The David di Donatello for Best Sound () is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of sound technicians who have worked within the Ita ...

David di Donatello for Best Visual Effects The David di Donatello for Best Visual Effects () is an award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano since 2004. It was presented as the David di Donatello for Best Special Visual Effects () from 2004 to 2012 and the David di Dona ...

* David di Donatello for Best Documentary *

David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film The David di Donatello for Best International Film (), known as the David di Donatello for Best Foreign Film () prior to 2022, is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy's answer to the Oscars", presented annually by the ...

David di Donatello for Best Short Film The David di Donatello for Best Short Film () is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy’s answer to the Oscars", presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize ...

* David Youth Award (formerly known as David School Award) * David Special Award (also known as David Career Award during some years) * David Viewers' Award (since 2019) *

David di Donatello for Best Casting David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Damas ...

(since 2025)

Retired awards

David di Donatello for Best Foreign Director The David di Donatello for Best Foreign Director () is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy’s answer to the Academy Awards, Oscars". It was awarded by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cine ...

(1966–1990) * David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actor (1957–1996) *

David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress The David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress () is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy's answer to the Oscars". It was awarded by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize ...

(1957–1996) * David di Donatello for Best New Actor (1982–1983) *

David di Donatello for Best New Actress David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Damas ...

(1982–1983) *

David di Donatello for Best European Film The David di Donatello for Best European Film () is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy’s answer to the Oscars". It was awarded by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize ...

(2004–2018, merged into Best Foreign Film) *

David di Donatello for Best Screenplay The David di Donatello Award for Best Screenplay (Italian: ''David di Donatello per la migliore sceneggiatura'') was a film award presented by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, ''Academy of Italian Cinema'') to recognize outstanding screen ...

(1975–2016, split into Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay) * David di Donatello for Best Foreign Producer (1956–1990 except 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, and from 1972 to 1980) * David di Donatello for Best Foreign Screenplay (1979–1990) * David di Donatello for Best Foreign Score (1979–1980) * Golden plaque (1956–2001 except 1961, 1962, from 1975 to 1983, and from 1985 to 1989) * European David (1973–1983) * David Franco Cristaldi (1992 and 1993) * David Luchino Visconti (1976–1995) *

David René Clair David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the Kings of Israel and Judah, third king of the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stel ...

(1982–1987) * Alitalia Award (1984–1991) * Gold medal of the Municipality of Rome *

Gold medal of the Minister for Tourism and Entertainment Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal, a group 1 ...

Statistics

Multiple prize-winning actors

As of 2025, with seven awards each,

Margherita Buy Margherita Buy (; born 15 January 1962) is an Italian actress. She is a seven-time David di Donatello Awards winner and eight-time Nastro d'Argento winner. Overview After a long period of studying at the Academy of Dramatic Arts, she made her ...

Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, comedian, voice dubber, director, singer, composer and screenwriter. Sordi is considered one of the most important actors in the history of Italian cinema and one of the b ...

Vittorio Gassman Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important producti ...

, and

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress, active in her native country and the United States. With a career spanning over 70 years, she is one of the ...

are the actors who have won the most Davids.

References

External links

* * *
David di Donatello 1956–2016: 60 Years of Awards
''Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies'' (2016), 4 (2), Intellect, {{National Cinema Awards Italian film awards International film awards