Nanni Moretti

Having played waterpolo in the B division of the Italian championship, his experience later inspired his film Palombella Rossa ("palombella," which literally means "little pigeon," refers to a type of lob shot). His other work has not been widely seen outside Europe, but within his country Moretti is known as a maker of wryly humorous and eccentric films, usually starring himself. His most recent role was in the film Mia Madre (My Mother, 2015)

His 2015 film Mia Madre was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Moretti is also an outspoken political leftist: in 2002 he organized street protests against the government of Silvio Berlusconi. Il caimano (2006) is in part about Berlusconi's controversies: in one of the three portraits of the Italian prime minister Moretti himself plays Berlusconi. Aprile also deals with Italy's political situation and Moretti's views on it. His 2011 film We Have a Pope screened In Competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

He lives in Rome, having been resident since birth, where he is co-owner of a small movie theater, Nuovo Sacher. The short film, Il Giorno della prima di Close Up (Opening Day of Close-Up, 1996), shows Moretti at his theatre attempting to encourage patrons to attend the opening day of Abbas Kiarostami's film, Close Up.

He may be best known for his films Caro diario (Dear Diary, 1993; followed in 1998 by a sequel, Aprile) and La stanza del figlio (The Son's Room, 2001), the latter of which won the Palme d'Or at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.

In 1976, Giovanni's first feature film Io sono un autarchico (I am Self-Sufficient) was released. In 1978 he wrote, directed and starred in the movie Ecce Bombo, which tells the story of a student having problems with his entourage. It was screened at the Cannes Festival. Sogni d'oro won the Silver Lion at the 38th Venice International Film Festival. La messa è finita won the Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize at the 36th Berlin International Film Festival.

Moretti was born in Bruneck, South Tyrol, Italy, to Roman parents who were both teachers. His father was the late epigraphist Luigi Moretti, a Greek teacher at Sapienza University of Rome. While growing up he discovered his two passions, the cinema and water polo. Having finished his studies he pursued a career as a producer, and in 1973 directed his first two short films: Pâté de bourgeois and The Defeat (La sconfitta). His brother is literary scholar Franco Moretti.

Giovanni "Nanni" Moretti (Italian pronunciation: [ˈnanni moˈretti] ; born 19 August 1953) is an Italian film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. The Palme d'Or winner in 2001, in 2012 he was the President of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival.