Paolo Sorrentino’s Il Divo has scooped 16 nominations for Italy’s top film honours, the David of Donatello Awards. The film beat Matteo Garrone’s Gomorrah, which picked up 11nominations.

The films swept up nominations across all major categories including best film, director, producer, best actress and best supporting actor, as well as for screenplay and cinematography.

Actor Tony Servillo, who appears in both films, has been nominated only for his masterful portrayal of Italy’s seven-time prime minister Giulio Andreotti in Il Divo.

Director Fausto Brizzi picked up ten nominations for his contemporary romantic comedy Ex including major category nominationsfor best film, best director and best screenplay.

The remaining best film nominees are Si Puo Fare by Giulio Manfredonia, which took a total of nine nominations, and A Whole Life Ahead (Tutta La Vita Davanti) by Paolo Virzi, which got five nominations, including two for best supporting actress.

The remaining best director contenders are Pupi Avati for his drama Giovanna’s Father and Giulio Manfredonia for Si Puo Fare.

Mid-August Lunch(Pranzo di Ferragosto), a comic look at a middle-aged man caring for his elderly mother and her friends, nabbed its director Gianni De Gregorio a best debut director nomination and also earned a best producer nomination for Matteo Garrone.

Others in the best producer category include Andrea Occhipinti, Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima and Maurizio Coppolecchia for Il Divo; Domenico Procacci for Gomorrah; Angelo Rizzoli for Si Puo Fare; and Augusto Allegra, Isabella Cocuzza, Giuliana Gamba and Arturo Paglia for Cover Boy-L’Ultima Rivoluzione (Cover Boy-The Last Revolution).

The nominations for best actress are Alba Rohrwacher (Giovanna’s Father); Ilaria Occhini (Mar Nero); Valeria Golino (Giulia Non Esce La Sera); Claudia Gerini (Diverso Da Chi’); and Donatella Finocchiaro (Galantuomini).

The best actor nominees are Tony Servillo (Il Divo); Luca Argentero (Diverso da Chi’); Valerio Mastandrea (Non Pensarci); Silvio Orlando (Giovanna’s Father); andClaudio Bisio (Si Puo Fare).

Gran Torino, Milk, The Wrestler, Wall-E and The Visitor picked up nominations for best foreign film, and best European film nominees are The Lemon Tree, The Class, Slumdog Millionaire, Waltz With Bashir and The Reader.

The winners will be announced on May 8th.

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