Italian Newspaper Slams David di Donatello Awards Event

ROME -- A leading Italian newspaper on Monday blasted Italy’s David di Donatello awards as out of touch and “unworthy” to be called the Italian version of the Oscars.

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The newspaper, Il Fatto Quotidiano, criticized the awards as being selected by a jury of “the relatives [of important industry figures], politicians, building contractors, and the usual suspects.”

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It named the country’s powerful antitrust chief Antonio Catricala, long-time Silvio Berlusconi political ally Gianni Letta, the former head of the trash collection from Rome’s landmark Cinema Adriano, the wife of the twin brother of controversial Senator Marcello Dell’Utri, and members of the influential De Laurentiis film family as suspect members of the list of 1,600 people who vote for the prestigious prizes.

The article, published in Monday’s edition, called for the Donatello foundation to make changes to make the 24 awards it presents each year more honorable.

The awards, Italy’s top film sector honors, are headed by Gian Luigi Rondi, the 90-year-old critic who recently stepped down as president of the International Rome Film Festival.

Donatello organizers had no immediate response to the article.