2020-05-15

THE TRAITOR screened during the Belt and Road Film Week scoops six prizes of Italy’s David di Donate

On May 8, Italy’s David di Donatello Awards announced the winners. THE TRAITOR directed by the legendary director Marco Bellocchio scooped six prizes including Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing. The movie was screened during the Belt and Road Film Week at the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) for which the leading actor Pierfrancesco Favino and the producer Simone Gattoni came to Shanghai and were warmly received by the audience at the screenings.

On May 8, 2020, the 65th David di Donatello Awards announced the winners. Created in 1955, the Donatellos aim to honor the best of Italian and foreign films. In 1992, Zhang Yimou’s RAISE THE RED LANTERN garnered the Best Foreign Film award at this top film event of Italy; in 2012, the actress Zhao Tao was honored with the Best Actress award for the Italian film IO SONO LI, becoming the first Asian actress to win the award.

There was no physical ceremony or red carpet this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but a prime-time virtual ceremony was put on through the Internet to live broadcast the awards ceremony by the Italian broadcasting company RAI in a studio with no audience present. The Italian nominees participated in the ceremony via internet connection at home.

THE TRAITOR directed by the legendary Italian director Marco Bellocchio became the biggest winner of the night, scooping six prizes including Best Film, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Editing.

In June 2019, THE TRAITOR, much anticipated by many moviegoers, screened during the Belt and Road Film Week at the 22nd SIFF. The leading actor Pierfrancesco Favino and the producer Simone Gattoni came to Shanghai to attend the film festival, and communicated with fans at the Grand Cinema and Palace Cinema, IFC Mall, where the film was shown to a full house.

At the screenings, the Italian actor active in Hollywood greeted the fans in Chinese, English and Italian, who in turn showed their enthusiasm. As a father of two girls, Favino shared his take on the role and how he incorporated his own life experience into the creation of the role. The famous actor was earnest and cordial when chatting with the audience, which is a huge contrast with the character in the film, impressing the audience with his superb acting skills.

Fan meeting after screening of THE TRAITOR on June 21, 2019

THE TRAITOR is yet another masterpiece directed by the Italian director Marco Bellocchio at the ripe age of 80, and was well received at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in 2019 – where it was given a 13-minute standing ovation after the premiere.

The film is based on the life story of Tommaso Buscetta, a leader of the Sicilian Mafia. Buscetta wants to quit, but the gangs continue to fight each other, murdering several of his family members. To revenge on the Mafia, he takes the initiative to become a government informant and a "traitor" of the gang. The film reveals the grim reality of Italy’s fight with criminal gangs with dramatic narratives and successful mise-en-scene. It condemns and reflects on the evil and hypocrisy of the Mafia.

In recent years, the SIFF has been committed to the exhibition and exchange of film culture of countries participating the Belt and Road initiative. Founded in 2018, the Belt and Road Film Week selects and brings together the best of movies from the countries, presenting Chinese fans with diverse customs and cultural heritage from the perspective of filmmakers. In the past two years, it is during the Belt and Road Film Week that excellent films such as CAPERNAUM, THE FAREWELL, and SORRY WE MISSED YOU debuted in China and were well received by the Chinese audiences, which led to them being shown in Chinese theaters by virtue of word of mouth. In future, the Belt and Road Film Week will continue to discover more outstanding movies for the audience to enjoy.