Premio Bancarella
1 appearances
-
Edition 29 (1981) Winner
Sergio Zavoli
セルジオ・ザヴォーリ
Sergio Zavoli
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1923-09-21 （Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Kingdom of Italy）
- Died
- 2020-08-04 （Rome, Lazio, Italy） age 96
- Nationality
- Italian
- Languages
- Italian
- Religion
- Catholic (cultural background)
- Residence History
- Ravenna (birthplace) → Rimini (raised) → Monte Porzio Catone (later residence) → Rome (work and death)
Career
- Occupations
- journalist, documentary filmmaker, politician, writer, radio/television presenter
- Active Years
- 1945-2018
- Affiliations
- RAI (Italian state broadcaster), San Marino RTV (founding president), Il Mattino (editorial board)
- Memberships
- Democrats of the Left, Democratic Party (Italy)
- Influenced By
- Cesare Zavattini
- Influenced
- Contemporary Italian documentary filmmakers (collective)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liceo classico Giulio Cesare (Manara Valgimigli), Rimini | — | Classical studies (humanities) | — | 1938–1943 | Italy |
Liceo classico Giulio Cesare (Manara Valgimigli), Rimini
Classical studies (humanities)
Period:
1938–1943
Year of Graduation:
1943
Country:
Italy
Graduated from a classical lyceum. No confirmed record of a university degree; received several honorary degrees later.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Prix Italia | Notturno a Cnosso | — | Prix Italia | 受賞 |
| 1958 | Prix Italia | Clausura | — | Prix Italia | 受賞 |
| 1972 | Saint-Vincent Prize | Nascita di una dittatura | — | Saint-Vincent Prize for journalism | 受賞 |
| 1981 | Bancarella Award | Socialista di Dio | — | Premio Bancarella | 受賞 |
| 1986 | Honorary degree (Literature) | — | — | University of Urbino | 授与 |
| 2007 | Honorary degree (Publishing, Multimedia Communication and Journalism) | — | — | University of Rome Tor Vergata | 授与 |
Prix Italia
1953
Work:
Notturno a Cnosso
Organization:
Prix Italia
Result:
受賞
Prix Italia
1958
Work:
Clausura
Organization:
Prix Italia
Result:
受賞
Saint-Vincent Prize
1972
Work:
Nascita di una dittatura
Organization:
Saint-Vincent Prize for journalism
Result:
受賞
Bancarella Award
1981
Work:
Socialista di Dio
Organization:
Premio Bancarella
Result:
受賞
Honorary degree (Literature)
1986
Organization:
University of Urbino
Result:
授与
Honorary degree (Publishing, Multimedia Communication and Journalism)
2007
Organization:
University of Rome Tor Vergata
Result:
授与
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Notturno a Cnosso
1953 documentary (travel/history)A documentary exploring Crete's mythology and history through a nocturnal tourist itinerary.
historymythologycultural heritage
Clausura
1957 documentary (religion/society)Examines enclosed nuns through interviews conducted through the grates of their enclosures; translated into several languages.
faithreligious lifesocial perspective
I giardini di Abele
1969 documentary (psychiatric reportage)A reportage-style documentary filmed inside a psychiatric hospital in Gorizia, portraying mental health care realities.
psychiatric caresocial inclusionhumanity in medicine
Nascita di una dittatura
1972 TV documentary (historical investigation)A six-part series documenting the rise of Fascist Italy, combining archival material and testimony.
political historyfascismarchival documentation
La notte della Repubblica
1989 TV documentary (investigative)An 18-episode series investigating Italy's Years of Lead, carefully reconstructing events and testimony.
political violencecontemporary historyjustice and politics
Socialista di Dio
1981 non-fiction (religion/philosophy) 200 pagesAn essay exploring the relationship between faith and socialism; winner of the Bancarella Award in 1981.
religionpolitical thoughtethics
Il ragazzo che io fui
2011 autobiography 150 pagesAn autobiographical work recounting his childhood and career as a journalist and politician.
memoirmemorypostwar Italy
Diario di un cronista
2001 TV series (retrospective)A 55-episode series in which he retold the stories of his most significant investigative documentaries.
journalismarchival recordsretrospective
Bibliography
- Socialista di Dio
- Il ragazzo che io fui
- Diario di un cronista
- Collection of anecdotes and characters from Romagna (1959)
Adaptations
- Il sole tramonta alle spalle (2023 film featuring unpublished interviews)
- Il ragazzo e la città (2023 concert-show)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- field-oriented documentary approachdialogue-driven, respectful portrayal of subjectsexplanatory style linking history and personal testimony
- Recurring Motifs
- foregrounding ordinary voicesrespect for opposing viewpointsreconstruction of history and memory
Legacy
Sergio Zavoli was a major figure in postwar Italian journalism and documentary filmmaking and later an active politician. He was praised for his field-based, respectful interview approach and historical documentaries; he served as RAI president and received multiple honors. Posthumous tributes through films and performances have continued his legacy.
Academic Societies
- Journalism School, University of Salerno (honorary position)
Archives
- RAI Teche (RAI archives)
- Italian Senate Parliamentary Library Centre
In Popular Culture
- Posthumous tributes in film and stage (e.g. Il sole tramonta alle spalle, Il ragazzo e la città)
Quotes
-
He disliked what he called 'parlare dialetto' (talking dialect) — intellectual sloppiness — and encouraged doubt and critical inquiry against assumed certainties.
Source: Furio Colombo, writing in La Stampa (1977) (1977)
Trivia
- Won Prix Italia in 1953 and 1958.
- Won the Bancarella Award in 1981 for 'Socialista di Dio'.
- Served as RAI president (1980–1986).
- Secretly married Alessandra Chello in 2017 at age 93.
- Died in 2020 at age 96 and was buried near Federico Fellini in Rimini.
- Was attacked during a burglary at his home in 2012 (reported).