'Girl by the Lake' tops David awards

Italy film event honors Molaioli thriller

By NICK VIVARELLI

Tyro helmer Andrea Molaioli’s assured atmospheric thriller “The Girl by the Lake” stole the show at Italy’s David di Donatello film prizes, taking 10 statuettes, including both director and first-time director, picture, screenplay, producer and actor.

Dolomites-set murder mystery by Molaioli, who is a former assistant director for Nanni Moretti, delivered a surprise blow to Moretti starrer “Quiet Chaos.”

“Chaos,” helmed by Antonello Grimaldi and toplining Moretti in a rare thesping-only turn, had been the big favorite with a massive 18 nominations, but it went home with just three nods and with Moretti empty-handed. Instead, the actor David went to Toni Servillo, star of “The Girl by the Lake,” for his role as a mercurial inspector probing eerie Alpine small-town psychodynamics after a naked female cadaver is found by a lake.

Produced by Nicola Giuliano and Francesca Cima’s Indigo Film, Molaioli’s now multiple-David-winning debut was adapted by ace scribe Sandro Petraglia from Norwegian novel “Don’t Look Back,” by Karin Fossum. It launched from the Venice critics week to relatively robust returns at home wickets via Medusa.

“The Girl” also scooped a cinematography David for Argentine lenser Ramiro Civita and the editor nod for Giogio Franchini.

The actress prize went to Margherita Buy for her role as a middle class woman weathering sudden economic hardship in Silvio Soldini’s “Days and Clouds,” which also took the supporting actress David for Alba Rohrwacher as her feisty daughter.

The supporting actor prize went to Alessandro Gassman for “Chaos,” which also drew two music nods.

Long, particularly lackluster ceremony took place amid an upbeat mood permeating the industry thanks to Italo pics commanding a 33% market share.

Nod for best European pic went to Marianne Faithful starrer “Irina Palm,” which did boffo biz in Italy.

DAVID AWARDS:

PICTURE
“The Girl by the Lake,” Andrea Molaioli

DIRECTOR
Andrea Molaioli, “The Girl by the Lake”

DEBUT DIRECTOR
Andrea Molaioli, “The Girl by the Lake”

SCREENPLAY
Sandro Petraglia “The Girl by the Lake”

PRODUCER
Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima “The Girl by the Lake”

ACTRESS
Margherita Buy, “Days and Clouds”

ACTOR
Toni Servillo, “The Girl by the Lake”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alba Rohrwacher, “Days and Clouds”

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alessandro Gassman, “Quiet Chaos”

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ramiro Civita, “The Girl by the Lake”

EDITING
Giogo Franchini, “The Girl by the Lake”

SCORE
Paolo Bonvino, “Quiet Chaos”

ORIGINAL SONG
“L’amore Trasparente,” by Ivano Fossati

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Francesco Frigeri, “I Vicere”

COSTUME DESIGN
Milena Canonero, “I Vicere”

MAKEUP ARTIST
Gino Tamagnini, “I Vicere”

HAIR ARTIST
Maria Teresa Corridoni, “I Vicere”

SOUND
Alessandro Zanon, “The Girl by the Lake”

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Paola Trisoglio, Stefano Marinoni, “The Girl by the Lake”

EUROPEAN UNION PICTURE
“Irina Palm,” Sam Garbarski

FOREIGN FILM OUTSIDE THE E.U.
“No Country For Old Men,” Joel and Ethan Coen

DOCUMENTARY
“Madri,” by Barbara Cupisti

SHORT
“Uova,” by Alessandro Celli

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117984287.html

Like this article? Variety.com has over 150,000 articles, 40,000 reviews and 10,000 pages of charts. Subscribe today!
http://www.variety.com/emailfriend
or call (866) MY-VARIETY.
Can't commit? Sign up for a free trial!
http://www.variety.com/emailfriend