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| David di Donatello for Best Actress in a Leading Role | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Film |
| Country | Italy |
| Presented by | Accademia del Cinema Italiano |
| First awarded | 1956 (for female lead acting in films released during the 1955/1956 film season) |
| Currently held by | Barbara Ronchi — Settembre (2023) |
| Website | daviddidonatello |
The David di Donatello Award for Best Actress (Italian: David di Donatello per la migliore attrice protagonista) is a film award presented annually by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano (ACI, Academy of Italian Cinema) to recognize the outstanding performance in a leading role of an actress who has worked within the Italian film industry during the year preceding the ceremony.[1] Nominees and winner are selected via run-off voting by all the members of the Accademia.
The award was first given in 1956.[2] Sophia Loren is the record holder in this category, with seven awards, followed by Margherita Buy and Monica Vitti, with five awards each.[2][3]
Winners and nominees
Below, winners are listed first in the colored row, followed by other nominees.[1]
1950s
| Year | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955/56 (1st) | |||
| Gina Lollobrigida | Lina Cavalieri | Beautiful But Dangerous | |
| 1956/57 (2nd) | |||
| Not awarded | |||
| 1957/58 (3rd) | |||
| Anna Magnani | Gioia | Wild Is the Wind | |
| 1958/59 (4th) | |||
| Anna Magnani | Egle | Nella città l'inferno | |
1960s
| Year | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959/60 (5th) | |||
| Not awarded | |||
| 1960/61 (6th) | |||
| Sophia Loren | Cesira | Two Women | |
| 1961/62 (7th) | |||
| Not awarded | |||
| 1962/63 (8th) | |||
| Gina Lollobrigida | Pauline Bonaparte | Imperial Venus | |
| Silvana Mangano | Edda Mussolini | The Verona Trial | |
| 1963/64 (9th) | |||
| Sophia Loren | Adelina Sbaratti / Anna Molteni / Mara | Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow | |
| 1964/65 (10th) | |||
| Sophia Loren | Filumena Marturano | Marriage Italian-Style | |
| 1965/66 (11th) | |||
| Giulietta Masina | Giulietta Boldrini | Juliet of the Spiritslana Turner Madame X winner | |
| 1966/67 (12th) | |||
| Silvana Mangano | Gloria / Fast Lady / Assurdina Caì / Nunzia / Giovanna | The Witches | |
| 1967/68 (13th) | |||
| Claudia Cardinale | Rosa Nicolosi | The Day of the Owl | |
| 1968/69 (14th) | |||
| Gina Lollobrigida | Carla Campbell | Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell | |
| Monica Vitti | Assunta Patanè | The Girl with the Pistol | |
1970s
| Year | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969/70 (15th) | |||
| Sophia Loren | Giovanna | Sunflower | |
| 1970/71 (16th) | |||
| Florinda Bolkan | Valeria | The Anonymous Venetian | |
| Monica Vitti | Maria Campi / Ninì Tirabusciò | Ninì Tirabusciò: la donna che inventò la mossa | |
| 1971/72 (17th) | |||
| Claudia Cardinale | Carmela | A Girl in Australia | |
| 1972/73 (18th) | |||
| Florinda Bolkan | Giulia Bonanni | Dear Parents | |
| Silvana Mangano | Antonia | The Scientific Cardplayer | |
| 1973/74 (19th) | |||
| Sophia Loren | Adriana De Mauro | The Voyage | |
| Monica Vitti | Dea Dani | Polvere di stelle | |
| 1974/75 (20th) | |||
| Mariangela Melato | Officer Giovanna Abbastanzi | Policewoman | |
| 1975/76 (21st) | |||
| Monica Vitti | Lisa Stefani | Duck in Orange Sauce | |
| 1976/77 (22nd) | |||
| Mariangela Melato | Mara Castelli | Caro Michele | |
| 1977/78 (23rd) | |||
| Sophia Loren | Antonietta | A Special Day | |
| Mariangela Melato | Ofelia Pegoraro | The Cat | |
| 1978/79 (24th) | |||
| Monica Vitti | Anna Rossi / Lisa Bianchi | Amori miei |