Friday Feb 28th, the Nominee Gala at the Italian Institute of Culture. Expecting the Oscars’ Gala.
American painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel has been honored with the LA, Italia – Marina Cicogna Award, a tribute to the late, Oscar-winning producer Marina Cicogna, one of the true pioneers of the Italian Film Festival on the eve of the Academy Awards, alongside Lina Wertmüller, Franco Nero, Tony Renis and festival founder Pascal Vicedomini.
The award will be presented by Franco Nero himself to the celebrated New York artist — whose highly anticipated new film In the Hand of Dante is set for release this year — during the traditional Nominee Gala on Friday, February 28, at the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles. The evening will also bring together many of the key figures of the Italian showcase in Hollywood, organized by the Capri Institute with the support of MiC and Intesa Sanpaolo, alongside Adamantis Europe Ltd, ENIT, Scabec, Givova and Riflessi.
Among the distinguished guests will be Cynthia Sleiter, Academy Award nominee for the production design of Conclave; director Mauro Borrelli, whose eagerly awaited film The Last Supper will close the 20th edition of LA, Italia on Saturday afternoon; composer Fabrizio Mancinelli, who scored Anuja, nominated for Best Live Action Short Film; and Francesco Merola, representing his late father Mario Merola, a beloved icon of the Italian community on the U.S. West Coast. Also in attendance will be Sergio Castellitto, recently honored alongside Ralph Fiennes and Conclave director Edward Berger, as well as Academy Award winners Mira Sorvino and Nick Vallelonga, together with many long-time friends of the festival.
Schnabel made his mark as a filmmaker with Before Night Falls, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, before going on to direct The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, winning Best Director at Cannes and receiving another Oscar nomination. His acclaimed filmography also includes Miral and At Eternity’s Gate, dedicated to Vincent van Gogh.
His latest work, filmed largely in Italy between Sicily, Rome, Florence and Venice, boasts an extraordinary international cast including Gerard Butler (in a dual role), Al Pacino, Jason Momoa, John Malkovich, Gal Gadot, Oscar Isaac and Martin Scorsese, alongside Franco Nero, Fortunato Cerlino, Sabrina Impacciatore, Lorenzo Zurzolo and many others. The film is already being closely courted by both the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, confirming its status as one of the most eagerly awaited titles of the year.
