'Unknown' leads David awards

Noir feature pulls in 12 nominations

By NICK VIVARELLI

Giuseppe Tornatore's 'The Unknown' tops the nominees for Italy's David di Donatello kudos with 12.

ROME — Giuseppe Tornatore's white slavery noir "The Unknown" leads the race for Italy's 51st David di Donatello prizes, with 12 nominations. Daniele Luchetti's political comedy "My Brother Is an Only Child" and Emanuele Crialese's Ellis Island immigration drama "Golden Door" each garnered 11 noms for the top Italian film kudos.

All three main David nominees are vying in the key film, director and screenplay categories, as well as for several thesping statuettes.

Tornatore's dark tale of a secretive Eastern European prostitute-turned-cleaning lady scored only moderately at Italo wickets after opening at last year's RomeFilmFest.

"My Brother," about two siblings who in the '70s develop diametrically opposed political bents -- one becomes a communist, the other a neo-fascist -- is enjoying a nice local B.O. run prior to Cannes, where it will unspool in Un Certain Regard.

"Golden Door," for which Miramax has U.S. rights, nabbed last year's Venice Silver Lion but underperformed locally.

Winners will be announced June 14 at a gala aired live on pubcaster RAI.

NOMINEES FOR THE 51ST DAVID DI DONATELLO AWARDS

PICTURE
"Along the Ridge," Kim Rossi Stewart
"One Hundred Nails," Ermanno Olmi
"My Brother Is an Only Child," Daniele Luchetti
"Golden Door," Emanuele Crialese
"The Unknown," Giuseppe Tornatore

DIRECTOR
Marco Bellocchio, "The Wedding Director"
Emanuele Crialese, "Golden Door"
Daniele Luchetti, "My Brother Is an Only Child"
Giuseppe Tornatore, "The Unknown"

ACTRESS
Margherita Buy, "Saturn in Opposition"
Donatella Finocchiaro, "The Wedding Director"
Giovanna Mezzogiorno, "Flying Lessons"
Laura Morante, "Liscio"
Ksenia Rappoport, "The Un-known"

ACTOR
Vincenzo Amato, "Golden Door"
Elio Germano, "My Brother Is an Only Child"
Michele Placido, "The Unknown"
Giacomo Rizzo, "The Family Friend"
Kim Rossi Stewart, "Along the Ridge"

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Ambra Angioini, "Saturn in Opposition"
Michela Cescon, "Salty Air"
Angela Finocchiaro, "My Brother Is an Only Child"
Sabrina Impacciatore, "N - Napoleon and Me"
Francesca Neri, "The Get-together Dinner"

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Giorgio Colangeli, "Salty Air"
Ninetto Davoli, "One Out of Two"
Ennio Fantastichini, "Saturn in Op-position"
Valerio Mastandrea, "N — Napoleon and Me"
Riccardo Scamarcio, "My Brother Is an Only Child"

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Luca Bigazzi, "The Family Friend"
Agnes Godard, "Golden Door"
Fabio Olmi, "One Hundred Nails"
Alessandro Pesci, "N — Napoleon and Me"
Fabio Zamarion "The Unkown"

EDITING
Francesca Calvelli, "The Wedding Director"
Mirco Garrone, "My Brother Is an Only Child"
Patrizio Marone, "Golden Door"
Maryline Monthieux, "Golden Door"
Massimo Quaglia, "The Unknown"

SCRIPT
Linda Ferri, Federico Starnone, Francesco Giammusso, "Along the Ridge"
Ermanno Olmi, "One Hundred Nails"
Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli, Daniele Luchetti, "My Brother Is an Only Child"
Emanuele Crialese, "Golden Door"
Giuseppe Tornatore, "The Unknown"

DEBUTING DIRECTOR
Francesco Amato, "Ma Che Ci Faccio Qui"
Alessandro Angelini, "Salty Air"
Giambattista Avellino, "Il 7 e l'8"
Davide Marengo, "Notturno Bus"
Kim Rossi Stewart, "Along the Ridge"