The terrace at sunset, a dinner curated by Tino Vettorello, gatherings with colleagues, and the song “T’innamorerai,” performed by Marco Masini. On Friday, September 11, on the eve of the closing of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, the Nuovo IMAIE gala brought together some of the leading figures in Italian entertainment at the Terrazza La Biennale. It was an evening of awards, but also of professional friendships, humor, and nostalgia, with cinema, television, theater, and music all sharing the same stage.
The event was hosted by Tiziana Rocca, who helped organize it through Tiziana Rocca Production. Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Claudio Amendola, Laura Morante, Sergio Rubini, Stefania Rocca, and Marco Masini. Maurizio Lastrico was awarded the prize dedicated to Antonello Fassari. Five distinct career paths and a tribute that lent the event an emotional dimension, alongside the celebration of the actors’ work.
The evening’s proceedings also featured some stylish touches. First came the reception on the terrace, followed by dinner prepared by Venetian chef Tino Vettorello, and finally the awards ceremony. Daniele Venturelli’s photographs captured the convivial atmosphere of the event: a smiling Amendola at the table next to Lastrico, Tiziana Rocca with Alberto Barbera, and the award recipients gathered with the institute’s leadership. These images depict a community of artists through gestures and interactions, beyond the official photo op.
The awards were presented by Andrea Miccichè, president of Nuovo IMAIE, and Maila Sansaini, general manager. The artists accepted the award with a touch of humor: Amendola, Morante, Rubini, and Stefania Rocca chose to view it as a milestone in their careers, reaffirming their desire to continue working. This reaction lightened the tone of the ceremony and gave the celebration a personal touch. The award looked back on the years gone by, while its recipients looked forward to the projects still to come.
For Amendola, returning to the Lido had a specific meaning. In an interview with SuperGuidaTV during the awards ceremony, the actor spoke about the thrill of receiving his first lifetime achievement award. He recalled starting out at a very young age and joked about the significance of the award, admitting that he was convinced it was given primarily because of the precocity of his debut. But the overriding feeling was pride in sharing the evening with Laura Morante, Sergio Rubini, and Stefania Rocca—colleagues for whom he had words of admiration.
The focus then shifted to Antonello Fassari. The first presentation of the award named after the actor brought the connection with someone who left a mark on the lives of his colleagues and the public back to the center of the celebration. Before the gala, Amendola had revealed that Antonello’s daughter, Flaminia Fassari, would present the award. She had also spoken, with evident emotion, about how difficult it was to confront that memory without being moved. Her words brought out the personal dimension of a public tribute: behind the name of the award lay a person, a friendship, and years of shared work.
The honoree, Maurizio Lastrico, served as a unifying figure among the various elements of the day. An actor with a career spanning theater, film, and television, he had also served as the guest of honor at the afternoon awards ceremony dedicated to young performers. His presence brought together the memory of Fassari with a focus on those who are forging their own artistic identities.
The awards also had a distinctive visual identity. Among the artists, Marco Lodola created luminous works with pop and neo-futuristic elements. These sculptures were designed to accompany a professional award using the language of contemporary art, introducing color and light to the moment of presentation. This detail was consistent with an evening that brought together different disciplines, from acting to music.
Andrea Miccichè explained the purpose of the initiative with words that highlight the work required to build a career: “Rewarding a career means recognizing the value of a journey built on talent, hard work, sacrifice, and passion.” The president then emphasized the role of artists in Italian culture and the need to give attention and visibility to the younger generations. The Venetian program served this dual purpose: to recognize established artists and to support emerging talents.
On the afternoon of September 11, at the Italian Pavilion in the Hotel Excelsior, the Nuovo IMAIE Fabio Sartor Award honored Gaia Merlonghi and Piero Usberti. Merlonghi received the award for Edoardo Gabbriellini’s *La città dei vivi*, and Usberti for Tommaso Usberti’s *Prima della guerra*. The citation highlighted the sensitivity of their performances: for the young actress, her ability to portray a character marked by pain and violence. For Usberti, it was his ability to convey the emotional changes inherent in a journey of personal growth.
The National Union of Italian Film Journalists and the National Union of Italian Film Critics were involved in selecting the young award recipients. The event was attended by the respective presidents, Laura Delli Colli and Cristiana Paternò, along with Gian Marco Tognazzi, spokesperson for the audiovisual sector of Nuovo IMAIE, as well as board members Fabrizia Castagnoli and Gino Auriuso. Alberto Barbera delivered greetings on behalf of the Venice Film Festival, reaffirming the event’s connection to the festival in Venice.
Music provided the backdrop for the finale, featuring Marco Masini, who was honored for a career spanning more than three decades of Italian music. For the singer-songwriter, a founding member of Nuovo IMAIE, the award also symbolized his direct connection to the institute. His presence expanded the gala’s narrative beyond cinema, reminding us how deeply a performer’s voice becomes etched in the public’s memory through songs heard at different moments in life.
Then Masini sang “T’innamorerai.” After the awards and speeches, the evening concluded with a live performance. It was a finale that brought the focus back to why those artistic journeys had been celebrated: the ability to give form to an emotion and share it with the audience.
I have found no confirmation of Monica Guerritore’s attendance or any statements she may have made at the Nuovo IMAIE gala. The sources I consulted list her among the recipients of the Filming Italy Venice Award on September 6, a separate event. As for Tiziana Rocca and Sergio Rubini, the reports on the gala do not include any verifiable verbatim statements.
