Nominees for the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema

To date, Gucci has donated over USD $2 million to The Film Foundation towards the restoration of seven historic film titles, and is pleased to extend its commitment to preserving the artistic and cultural heritage of landmark cinema through a further contribution to The Film Foundation for the restoration of THE MATTEI AFFAIR / IL CASO MATTEI (1972, d. Francesco Rosi). Marking the eighth and most recent project, this film will have its world restoration premiere this year in Venice, an occasion that will be accompanied by the Venice International Film Festival’s awarding of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Mr. Rosi. Eni is also a partner on this restoration project.

"Gucci represents an exemplary model of support towards the film industry. The creation of the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema is a symbol of great sensibility that highlights the growing role of female creativity in the cultural arena, but it is as important to note the commitment to restoration and to cinema's historical patrimony. It is a concrete way to provide young generations with the opportunity to see, in the best possible conditions, great masterpieces that have marked the history of cinema. Just as the film by Francesco Rosi, IL CASO MATTEI, represents still today a model of rigorous historical reconstruction, an ethical-political commitment and great cinematic ability."

IL CASO MATTEI is a brilliant political thriller based on actual people and events. The film explores the ambitions, accomplishments, and mysterious death of Eni founder Enrico Mattei. The success of Eni, a state-owned oil company, was considered a key reason for Italy’s postwar economic boom, but Mattei’s expanding political power and unorthodox vision made him many enemies.

He was killed in 1962 when his private plane crashed outside Milan. Inclement weather was the official explanation, but this ignored the testimony of eyewitnesses who saw a mid-air explosion before the plane fell to earth.  Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival (sharing the prize with Elio Petri’s LA CLASSE OPERAIA VA IN PARADISO), the film has long been championed by Martin Scorsese and has recently been re-discovered by a new generation, which sees IL CASO MATTEI as an unflinching exposé of Italian politics, society and morality.