Mario Martone

The Profile

Italian film and theatre director from Naples, active since the 1980s. His work often explores Neapolitan culture, Italian history and literature, with acclaimed films such as Il giovane favoloso, Noi Credevamo, Qui rido io and Nostalgia.

Directed Il giovane favoloso (on Giacomo Leopardi), Noi Credevamo (Italian Risorgimento), Qui rido io (Eduardo Scarpetta and the D’Annunzio legal battle) and Nostalgia (from Ermanno Rea’s novel, set around Naples’ Rione Sanità). Performances noted in reviews include Elio Germano, Toni Servillo and Pierfrancesco Favino. Nationality: Italian; active since the 1980s.

Four reviews examine Martone’s cinema through theatre, history and Naples. Qui rido io is praised for its electric backstage gaze and craft. Nostalgia highlights Favino’s performance and the perilous pull of return. Il giovane favoloso earns acclaim for acting and aesthetics, with critiques on philosophical depth. Noi Credevamo is seen as ambitious but uneven, with dialect and clarity issues.