Nastro d'Argento (Silver Ribbon Awards)

Overview

The Nastro d'Argento (Silver Ribbon) are the oldest film awards in Italy, presented annually by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (SNGCI) since 1946. The 80th edition took place on June 24, 2026, at the Teatro Argentina in Rome. Paolo Sorrentino's La grazia dominated the ceremony, winning 8 awards out of 9 nominations including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress (Anna Ferzetti), and Best Supporting Actress (Milvia Marigliano).

The awards are voted by over 100 professional film journalists from Italian newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and online publications. The SNGCI board (Direttivo Nazionale) selects five-nominee shortlists in each category, and the full membership votes by notarized ballot. The count is supervised by Notary Alessandra Temperini.

The Nastro d'Argento and the David di Donatello form the two pillars of Italian film recognition. The Nastro represents the critics' perspective; the David represents industry peer assessment. The two awards sometimes diverge, particularly when critical and commercial tastes differ.

Eligibility and Submission Rules

Films must be Italian productions or co-productions with Italian creative talent in key roles. The SNGCI evaluates films released in Italian theaters during the eligibility period, which typically runs through the end of May (aligned with the Cannes Film Festival calendar). The SNGCI board determines which films qualify as sufficiently Italian for consideration, a question complicated by the large volume of international co-productions in Italian cinema.

Since 2023, the SNGCI has excluded films not exclusively made for theatrical release from the cinema categories, in solidarity with Italian exhibitors. Films that premiered on streaming platforms without a theatrical-first release are not eligible for the main Nastro d'Argento.

The SNGCI also presents separate awards for television series (Nastri d'Argento Grandi Serie) and short films (Corti d'Argento), each with their own eligibility criteria.

Voting Process

The SNGCI membership consists of over 100 working film journalists. The Direttivo Nazionale, currently led by President Laura Delli Colli with Vice President Fulvia Caprara, prepares the five-nominee shortlists ("cinquine") in each category. All registered journalist members then vote by notarized ballot. The notarized vote count ensures procedural integrity and distinguishes the Nastro from awards that use simple email or online balloting.

The SNGCI was founded in 1946, the same year as the awards, by a group of film journalists and essayists. Founding members included figures who later became directors (Steno, Mario Soldati) and auteurs (Michelangelo Antonioni, Antonio Pietrangeli). The organization is recognized as a "premio di interesse culturale nazionale" (award of national cultural interest) by the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC), which provides institutional support.

Key Categories

• Best Film (Miglior Film)
• Best Director (Miglior Regia)
• Best Leading Actor (Miglior Attore Protagonista) and Best Leading Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
• Best Supporting Actor (Miglior Attore Non Protagonista) and Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice Non Protagonista)
• Best Screenplay (Miglior Sceneggiatura) - includes the SIAE award for screenwriting
• Best Original Story (Miglior Soggetto)
• Best Cinematography (Miglior Fotografia)
• Best Sound (Miglior Sonoro)
• Best Editing (Miglior Montaggio)
• Best Production Design (Miglior Scenografia)
• Best Costume Design (Migliori Costumi)
• Best Score (Miglior Musica)
• Best Original Song (Migliore Canzone Originale)
• Best Comedy Film (Migliore Commedia) - reflecting Italy's commedia tradition
• Best Debut Film (Miglior Opera Prima) - includes the BNL BNP Paribas Special Prize for emerging talent
• Nastro dell'Anno (Ribbon of the Year) - for the year's biggest box office success
• Casting Director (Miglior Casting Director)
• Special Nastri - for career achievement, cultural contribution, or exceptional individual performances
• European Nastro d'Argento - honoring European cinema

History

The first Nastro d'Argento was awarded in 1946, immediately following World War II, during the birth of Italian neorealism. The awards were created the same year the SNGCI was founded, making both the organization and the prize among the oldest in European cinema. Anna Magnani was the first woman to receive a Nastro d'Argento in 1946, during the same period as the historic Italian referendum that established the Republic and granted women the right to vote.

The awards have tracked Italian cinema through neorealism, the commedia all'italiana era, the auteur renaissance of the 1960s and 1970s, and contemporary Italian filmmaking. Over the decades, the ceremony has been held at various venues in Rome, including the Accademia di Francia at Villa Medici and the MAXXI Museum, before settling at the Teatro Argentina in recent years.

The SNGCI expanded its scope in the 2020s with the creation of the Nastri d'Argento Grandi Serie (for television) and the Corti d'Argento (for short films), reflecting the growing importance of serialized content in Italian audiovisual production.

Business Impact for Filmmakers

For Italian filmmakers, a Nastro d'Argento provides critical validation from the country's film journalism community. The award's cultural weight complements the industry-focused David di Donatello. A Nastro win can boost a film's theatrical performance in Italy, particularly for arthouse and mid-budget productions that rely on critical reception rather than marketing spend.

The Best Comedy Film category acknowledges Italy's strong comedic filmmaking tradition. In 2026, the comedy winner La vita va cosi (directed by Riccardo Milani, produced by Ourfilms/Wildside/Medusa/Netflix) received recognition that genre films rarely get from other critics' awards. The Nastro dell'Anno, awarded in 2026 to Buen Camino (Gennaro Nunziante, starring Checco Zalone), specifically recognizes commercial success, connecting critical recognition with box office performance.

The Best Debut Film category and the BNL BNP Paribas Special Prize have historically identified emerging talent early. Previous BNL prize winners include Margherita Vicario (Gloria!, 2024) and Francesco Costabile (Familia, 2025, which was selected as Italy's Oscar submission for 2026). The 2026 debut winner Primavera by Damiano Michieletto also won for music and costumes, signaling a filmmaker to watch.

Recent Results (80th Nastro d'Argento, June 2026)

• Best Film: La grazia (Paolo Sorrentino)
• Best Director: Paolo Sorrentino, La grazia
• Best Screenplay: Paolo Sorrentino, La grazia
• Best Actress: Anna Ferzetti, La grazia
• Best Actor (ex aequo): Toni Servillo, La grazia / Valerio Mastandrea, Cinque secondi
• Best Supporting Actress: Milvia Marigliano, La grazia
• Best Supporting Actor: Francesco Gheghi, 40 secondi
• Best Cinematography: Daria D'Antonio, La grazia
• Best Sound: Emanuele Cecere and Mirko Perri, La grazia
• Best Original Song: Mahmood, "Le cose non dette"
• Nastro dell'Anno: Buen Camino (Gennaro Nunziante, Checco Zalone)
• Best Comedy: La vita va cosi (Riccardo Milani)
• Best Debut Film: Primavera (Damiano Michieletto)
• Special Awards: Monica Guerritore, Giancarlo Giannini, Barbara Bouchet

Watch

Eligibility Quirks That Trip People Up

• Italian productions or co-productions with Italian creative talent: Films must be Italian productions or co-productions with Italian creative talent in key roles. The SNGCI board determines which films qualify as "sufficiently Italian" for consideration, a subjective judgment that can be complicated by the large volume of international co-productions in Italian cinema. A film shot in Italy but produced by non-Italian companies with no Italian creative talent in key roles may not qualify.
• Theatrical-first release required since 2023: The SNGCI excludes films not exclusively made for theatrical release from the cinema categories, in solidarity with Italian exhibitors. Films that premiered on streaming platforms without a theatrical-first release are not eligible for the main Nastro d'Argento. This trips up Netflix and Amazon productions that skip Italian theatrical release.
• Notarized ballot voting: The full membership votes by notarized ballot, with the count supervised by a notary. This is unusual among critics awards, which typically use email or online voting. The notarized process ensures procedural integrity but also means the voting timeline is longer and more formal than at other critics groups.
• SNGCI board selects the five-nominee shortlists: The Direttivo Nazionale, led by the President and Vice President, prepares the five-nominee shortlists ("cinquine") in each category. The full membership then votes on these shortlists. This means the board acts as a gatekeeper, and films that are not shortlisted by the board cannot win, regardless of their quality or member support.
• Separate awards for television and short films: The SNGCI presents separate awards for television series (Nastri d'Argento Grandi Serie) and short films (Corti d'Argento), each with their own eligibility criteria. A television series is not eligible for the main cinema categories, and vice versa. This separation reflects the growing importance of serialized content in Italian audiovisual production but can confuse submitters who assume all SNGCI awards are for cinema.

Prestige Tier

The Nastro d'Argento (Silver Ribbon) are the oldest film awards in Italy, presented since 1946 by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (SNGCI). Among Italian film awards, the Nastro d'Argento and the David di Donatello form the two pillars of national recognition. The Nastro represents the critics' perspective (voted by over 100 film journalists), while the David represents industry peer assessment. The two awards sometimes diverge, particularly when critical and commercial tastes differ. The Nastro d'Argento ranks alongside the Cesars (France) and the Goya Awards (Spain) in European national critics' award prestige. A Nastro win can boost a film's theatrical performance in Italy, particularly for arthouse and mid-budget productions that rely on critical reception. The Best Comedy Film category acknowledges Italy's strong comedic filmmaking tradition, which is rarely recognized by other critics' awards. The Best Debut Film category and the BNL BNP Paribas Special Prize have historically identified emerging talent early, with previous winners going on to significant international careers. The SNGCI's recognition as an "award of national cultural interest" by the Italian Ministry of Culture gives the Nastro institutional standing that purely industry-voted awards lack.

See Also

For understanding how European national awards fit into international distribution, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue across European territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For evaluating festival and awards campaign costs against projected returns, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.