Aurelio Grimaldi

The Profile

Aurelio Grimaldi is an Italian film director and screenwriter known for stark, socially charged dramas such as Le Buttane (1994), Nerolio - Sputerò su mio padre (1996), and Rosa Funzeca (2003). He also authored the novel that inspired Marco Risi’s films Mery per sempre and Ragazzi fuori.

Italian (Sicilian) director and screenwriter; Le Buttane screened in Un Certain Regard at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival; recurring collaborations include cinematographer Maurizio Calvesi.

Three thoughtful reviews frame Aurelio Grimaldi as a bold Italian director of stark social dramas. Rosa Funzeca is praised as his most significant work and an homage to Pasolini’s Mamma Roma. Le Buttane draws notice for its provocation and its Cannes reception, with striking B/W images by Maurizio Calvesi. Nerolio tackles Pasolini’s darker sphere, earning both controversy and respect. Performances (notably Ida Di Benedetto) and austere aesthetics recur throughout.