Born in Rome on 9th November 1974, daughter of the actors Vittorio Mezzogiorno and Cecilia Sacchi. Has worked for two years in Paris in Peter Brook’s workshop (Le Centre International de Créations Théatrales). In 1995-96 she debuted in on stage at the theatre Bouffles du Nord in a show entitled Qui est Là, a research into the theatre created and directed by Peter Brook taken from Shakespeare’s Hamlet with texts by Artaud, Brecht, Crais, Mayerhold, Stanislavski and Zeami (for her work in this project she was awarded the Coppola-Prati Prize in 1996, awarded by a panel of critics presided over by the drama critic Franco Quadri).
In 1997, she made her debut in cinema with the film Il giorno della sposa(The Bride’s Journey) - which won the Targa d’Argento for “New Talents in Italian Cinema” at the Grolle d’Oro when the Foreign Press awarded the Globo d’Oro award and the International FlaianoPrize for the best actress for the 1997-98 season.
Other films: Del perduto amore (Of Lost Love) by Michele Placido (1998 – Nastro d’Argento, Ciak d’Oro and the Pasinetti award for the best actress), Asini by Antonello Grimaldi (1999), Un uomo per bene by Maurizio Zaccaro (1999), Tutta la conoscenza del mondo (All There Is to Know) by Eros Puglielli (2000), L’ultimo bacio (The Last Kiss) by Gabriele Muccino (2000 – International Flaiano Award in 2001 for the lead female role), Ilaria Alpi – Il più crudele dei giorni (The Cruelest Day) by Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani (2002 – Nastro d’Argento for best actress), La finestra di fronte (Facing Windows) di Ferzan Ozpetek (2002 – among numerous awards: the David of Donatello, Nastro d’Argento, Globo d’Oro and Best ActressAwardin the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival), L’amore ritorna (Love Returns) by Sergio Rubini (2003 – Nastro d’Argento for best supporting actress), La bestia nel cuore (Don’t Tell) by Cristina Comencini (2005 – entered in the 62th edition of the Venice International Film Festival where she won the Coppa Volpi for the best leading actress, and received a nomination for the Academy Awards in the category of best foreign films at the Oscars in 2006), Lezioni di volo(Flying Lessons)by Francesca Archibugi (2007), Notturno bus (Night bus) by Davide Marengo (2007), Love in the Time of Choleraof Mike Newell (2007), L’amore non basta (Love isn’t Enough) by Stefano Chiantini (2007), Palermo Shooting by Wim Wenders (2007), Vincere by Marco Bellocchio (2009 – Nastro d’Argento and Globo d’Oro for the best leading actress, Silver Hugo for Best Actress in the 45th Chicago International Film Festival). The documentary film Negli Occhi (Through the eyes) by Daniele Anzellotti and Francesco Del Grosso (2009) a journey into the life and career of her father Vittorio, who died prematurely in 1994, as co-producer, narrator and interviewer, presented at 66th Venice International Film Festival in the competition section "Controcampo Italiano" (Special Mention of the Jury).
La prima linea by Renato De Maria (2009), Basilicata coast to coast by Rocco Papaleo (2009).
In television: Più leggero non basta by Elisabetta Lodoli (1998), Les Misérablesby Josée Dayan (2000), Entrusted by Giacomo Battiato (2002), Virginaby Alberto Sironi (2004).
In 2004 she acted in the play 4.48 Psychosis directed by Piero Maccarinelli.
Web site:
http://www.saverioferragina.com/mezzogiorno/home.htm
November 2009
