GIOVANNA MEZZOGGIORNO (Flavia)

was born in Rome on 9
November 1974. She is the daughter of actors
Vittorio Mezzogiorno and Cecilia Sacchi.
She studied acting in Paris at Peter Brooks Centre
International de Créations Théatrales. She made her
stage debut in 1995 at the Paris theatre Bouffes du
Nord as Ophelia in Peter Brooks free Hamlet adaptation
“Qui est là“, going on to tour internationally
with the production. She received the renowned
Italian theatre award, the Coppola-Prati, for this role
in 1996.
She made her film debut in 1997 in Sergio Rubinis
“Il viaggio della sposa“ (The Brides Journey) for
which she won four more national awards in the
1997/98 season, including the Globo dOro and the
Premio Flaiano for Best Leading Actress.
In 1998 she played in “Del Perduto Amore” (Of Lost
Love) directed by Michele Placido (she was awarded
the Nastro dArgento, the Ciak dOro and Premio
Pasinetti as Best Actress in a starring role).
Giovanna Mezzogiorno is already well known to
Italian audiences as the star of many films, comedies,
dramas, historical films and science-fiction
thrillers. Among her International TV works, her role
in the major TV production of Victor Hugos “Les
Misérables“ alongside Gérard Depardieu, John
Malkovich and Charlotte Gainsbourg and in the TV
movie “Thomas Secret” (“Daddy”) - based on Loup
Durans bestseller - directed by Giacomo Battiato,
starring Klaus Maria Brandauer.
“LUltimo bacio” (The Last Kiss) directed by Gabriele
Muccino (winning the Premio Flaiano).
She won, among others, the David di Donatello
Award for Best Actress in 2003, the Nastro
dArgento, the Globo dOro by the Foreign Press
(Italian Golden Globe) Award and the Karlovy Vary
Award for “La Finestra di Fronte” (Facing Window)
directed by Ferzan Ozpetek.
For her portrayal of Sabina, a young woman who
tries to shed light on her mysterious past, in Cristina
Comencinis “La Bestia nel cuore“ (Dont Tell) she
was awarded the Coppa Volpi at the Venice Film
Festival in 2005 and received an Academy Awards
nomination as best Foreign Language Film 2006.
In 2006 she played the leading role in the picture
“Lezioni di Volo” (Flying Lessons) directed by
Francesca Archibugi and she will be appearing
alongside Javier Bardem in Mike Newells adaptation
of Gabriel García Márquez “Love in the Time of
Cholera“, released at the end of 2007.
In 2008 she will play in Marco Bellocchios upcoming
“Vincere”.