| The Great Ambition | |
|---|---|
 Italian theatrical release poster | |
| Italian | Berlinguer. La grande ambizione |
| Directed by | Andrea Segre |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Benoit Dervaux |
| Edited by | Jacopo Quadri |
| Music by | Iosonouncane |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | |
Release dates |
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| Countries |
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| Language | Italian |
The Great Ambition (Italian: Berlinguer. La grande ambizione) is a 2024 Italian biographical drama film directed by Andrea Segre. It stars Elio Germano as politician Enrico Berlinguer, who led the Italian Communist Party from 1972 to 1984. It opened the 19th Rome Film Festival on 16 October 2024 and received a theatrical release in Italy on 31 October 2024.
Cast
[edit]- Elio Germano as Enrico Berlinguer
- Paolo Pierobon as Giulio Andreotti
- Roberto Citran as Aldo Moro
- Elena Radonicich as Letizia Laurenti
- Fabrizia Sacchi as Nilde Iotti
- Paolo Calabresi as Ugo Pecchioli
- Andrea Pennacchi as Luciano Barca
- Giorgio Tirabassi as Alberto Menichelli
- Stefano Abbati as Umberto Terracini
- Francesco Acquaroli as Pietro Ingrao
- Pierluigi Corallo as Antonio Tatò
- Nikolay Danchev as Leonid Brezhnev
- Svetoslav Dobrev as Todor Zhivkov
- Luca Lazzareschi as Alessandro Natta
- Lucio Patanè as Gianni Cervetti
- Alice Airoldi as Bianca Berlinguer
Production
[edit]Principal photography began in November 2023. The film was shot in Rome, as well as Sassari and Porto Torres in Sardinia.[1][2][3]
Release
[edit]A promotional still from the film was released on 18 July 2024.[4] Fandango acquired the international distribution rights to the film on 5 September 2024.[5] The film opened the 19th Rome Film Festival on 16 October 2024.[6][7] It received a theatrical release in Italy on 31 October 2024.[8] In March 2025, the film was acquired by Nour Films in France; Filmin in Spain; Risi in Portugal; Cineworx in Switzerland; Imovision in Brazil; Weird Wave in Greece; Palace in Australia and New Zealand; and McF Megacom in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and North Macedonia.[9]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Award | Year | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David di Donatello | 2025 | Best Film | The Great Ambition | Nominated | [10][11] |
| Best Director | Andrea Segre | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Screenplay | Andrea Segre, Marco Pettenello | Nominated | |||
| Best Producer | Marta Donzelli, Gregorio Paonessa, Francesco Bonsembiante | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Elio Germano | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Roberto Citran | Nominated | |||
| Best Casting | Stefania de Santis | Nominated | |||
| Best Score | Iosonouncane | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Alessandro Vannucci and Laura Casalini | Nominated | |||
| Best Make-up | Sara Morlando, Rossella Sicignano, Leonardo Cruciano, Viola Moneta | Nominated | |||
| Best Hairstyling | Desiree Corridoni | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Jacopo Quadri | Won | |||
| Best Sound | Alessandro Palmerini, Marc Bastien, Vincent Grégorio, Franco Piscopo | Nominated | |||
| Best Visual Effects | Tristan Lilien, Michel Denis | Nominated | |||
| Young David | The Great Ambition | Nominated | |||
| Nastri d'Argento | 2025 | Best Film | The Great Ambition | Nominated | [12] |
| Best Actor | Elio Germano | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Paolo Pierobon | Nominated | |||
| Best Casting Director | Stefania De Santis | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Jacopo Quadri | Nominated | |||
| SIAE Nastro for Best Screenplay | Andrea Segre, Marco Pettenello | Won | |||
| Rome Film Festival | 2024 | Progressive Cinema Competition | The Great Ambition | Nominated | [13][14] |
| Best Actor | Elio Germano | Won |
References
[edit]- ^ Canettieri, Simone (10 November 2023). "Alla Camera le riprese del film su Berlinguer interpretato da Elio Germano". Il Foglio (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Pala, Mariangela (6 December 2023). "Ciak, si gira a Porto Torres: prime riprese del film su Berlinguer". L'Unione Sarda (in Italian). Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Canessa, Fabio (13 October 2023). "Elio Germano diventa Enrico Berlinguer nel film di Andrea Segre". La Nuova Sardegna (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Marchetto, Giambattista (19 July 2024). "Enrico Berlinguer, il ritratto del leader secondo Andrea Segre alla Festa del Cinema di Roma". Il Gazzettino (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (5 September 2024). "Fandango Takes Sales on Andrea Segre's 'The Great Ambition,' Starring Elio Germano as Italian Communist Party Leader Enrico Berlinguer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ Ajello, Mario (7 August 2024). "Festa di Roma, operazione Berlinguer: il cinema oltre gli steccati. L'evento si aprirà con la pellicola sul leader del Pci". Il Messaggero (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ Dams, Tim (20 September 2024). "Rome Film Festival unveils 2024 line-up; Johnny Depp, Francis Ford Coppola to be honoured". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 20 September 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
- ^ Giordano, Andrea (16 October 2024). "Berlinguer. La grande ambizione, recensione del film con uno strepitoso Elio Germano". Vogue Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ Vivarelli, Nick (14 March 2025). "'The Great Ambition,' Biopic About Italy's Late Communist Party Leader Enrico Berlinguer, Scores International Sales (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (7 April 2025). "'Parthenope' & 'The Great Ambition' Lead Italian David Di Donatello Nominations – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (7 May 2025). "David Di Donatellos: 'Vermiglio' Wins Best Film & Director As Timothée Chalamet Feted With Honorary Award". Deadline. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Scarpa, Vittoria (17 June 2025). "The Time It Takes triumphs at the Nastri d'Argento Awards". Cineuropa. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ^ Sernagiotto, Camilla (17 October 2024). "Berlinguer - La grande ambizione, tutto sul film con Elio Germano". Sky TG24 (in Italian). Retrieved 7 April 2025.
- ^ Saltalamacchia, Stefania (26 October 2024). "Festa del cinema di Roma, Elio Germano vince come miglior attore. Premio speciale della Giuria al cast femminile di Leggere Lolita a Teheran". Vanity Fair Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 7 April 2025.
