Elio Germano
Elio Germano (born 25 September 1980) is an Italian actor and director. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six David of Donatello, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and a Silver Bear for Best Actor.
Elio Germano

Martin Kraft · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Born
- 25 September 1980
- Birthplace
- Rome, Italy
- Occupation
- Actor
- Nationality
- Italy
- Honours
- David di Donatello for Best Actor · Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor
- Languages
- Italian
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Documentary summary
Elio Germano (born 25 September 1980) is an Italian actor and director. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six David of Donatello, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor and a Silver Bear for Best Actor.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q1231066 · wikipedia · Elio Germano
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Born — 25 September 1980 • Birthplace — Rome, Italy • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1992–present
Life and career
Life and career
Born in Rome to a Molisan family from Duronia, Province of Campobasso, Germano debuted aged twelve in Castellano e Pipolo's movie Ci hai rotto papà (1992). During his studies at scientific lyceum, he received acting training at Teatro Azione in Rome. In 1999, he abandoned an opportunity to work in theatre with Giancarlo Cobelli in order to play in Carlo Vanzina's film Il cielo in una stanza, which launched Germano as one of the most popular Italian actors. His big break came in 2007, when he was cast as the lead in the successful movies Fallen Heroes and My Brother is an Only Child by Daniele Luchetti. The following year he first received international recognition by winning the Shooting Stars Award at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. Germano worked with numerous directors such as Ettore Scola (Unfair Competition), Emanuele Crialese (Respiro), Gianluca Maria Tavarelli (Break Free), Giovanni Veronesi (What Will Happen to Us), Michele Placido (Romanzo Criminale), Gabriele Salvatores (Quo Vadis, Baby?, As God Commands), Paolo Virzì (Napoleon and Me, Your Whole Life Ahead of You), Francesco Patierno (The Early Bird Catches the Worm), Daniele Vicari (The Past Is a Foreign Land) and Ferzan Özpetek (Magnificent Presence). For his role in the movie My Brother is an Only Child (2007), he won his first David di Donatello as best actor in a leading role. In 2010, he won the Best Actor Award, ex-aequo with Javier Bardem, at the Cannes Film Festival, for his interpretation in La Nostra Vita. Later that year, he played the son of Italian journalist Tiziano Terzani in The End Is My Beginning. For his portrait of 19th century poet Giacomo Leopardi in Mario Martone's film Leopardi, Germano was praised at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.
Personal life
Personal life
At an early age Germano liked creating comics and thought about becoming a cartoonist. When he was not accepted into the school of graphic arts, he then opted for acting. In his spare time, Germano makes raps for a music group called Bestierare, which sings about "unemployment, homelessness, precariousness, prisons and Fascist violence".
Television
Television
• Title — Year — Role(s) — Network — Notes • Cornetti al miele — 1999 — Ernesto — Rai 2 — Television film • Padre Pio: Miracle Man — 2000 — Young Padre Pio — Canale 5 — Television film • Un medico in famiglia — Roberto Palombi — Rai 1 — 5 episodes • Via Zanardi 33 — 2001 — Ivan — Italia 1 — Main role • Il sequestro Soffiantini — 2002 — Paolo Soffiantini — Canale 5 — Television film • Padri — Giacomo — Rai 1 — 2 episodes • Ferrari — 2003 — Teenage Enzo Ferrari — Canale 5 — Television film • Paolo Borsellino — 2004 — Manfredi Borsellino — Television film • Do You Like Hitchcock? — 2005 — Giulio — Rai 2 — Television film • Faccia d'angelo — 2012 — Il "Toso" — Sky Cinema — Television film • In arte Nino — 2017 — Nino Manfredi — Rai 1 — Television film • La Storia — 2024 — Giuseppe Cucchiarelli — 2 episodes
Theatre
Theatre
• Year — Title — Role — Regia • 2000 — Hippolytus — Hippolytus — Ivano De Matteo • 1999–2000 — Ground & Ground — Himself • 2002 — The Rules of Attraction — Sean — Luca Guadagnino • 2004 — I racconti dell'Iliade — Narrator — Alessandro Baricco • 2008 — Verona Caput Fasci — Himself • 2010–2012 — Thom Pain (based on nothing) — Thom Pain • 2011–2016 — Journey to the End of the Night — Ferdinand Bardamu
Identity
Identity
Elio Germano is recorded as actor and singer.
Contemporary press record
Contemporary press record
The archives are cited for the existence and date of each notice; their wording is not reproduced here.

Elio Germano at 43rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
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Elio Germano at 43rd Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
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Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
2018
Elio Germano (2018) is digitised and catalogued by Open Library.
2018
Elio Germano digitised by Open Library.
Primary material
Digitised editions and texts
Elio Germano (2018) — Open Library
Film
• Title — Year — Role(s) — Director — Notes • Il cielo in una stanza — 1999 — Paolo — Carlo Vanzina • Unfair Competition — 2001 — Paolo Melchiorri — Ettore Scola • Ultimo stadio — 2002 — Billo — Ivano De Matteo • Respiro — Pierluigi — Emanuele Crialese • Now or Never — 2003 — Doveri — Lucio Pellegrini • Break Free — Vince — Gianluca Tavarelli • What Will Happen to Us — 2004 — Manuel — Giovanni Veronesi • Chiamami Salomè — 2005 — Giovanni — Claudio Sestieri • Quo Vadis, Baby? — Lucio Spasimo — Gabriele Salvatores • Mary — Matteo — Abel Ferrara • Sangue – La morte non esiste — Iuri — Libero De Rienzo • Romanzo Criminale — Romolo "Il sorcio" Mirabelli — Michele Placido • Melissa P. — Arnaldo — Luca Guadagnino • Napoleon and Me — 2006 — Martino Papucci — Paolo Virzì • My Brother Is an Only Child — 2007 — Antonio Benassi — Daniele Luchetti • Fallen Heroes — Luca Neri — Paolo Franchi • The Early Bird Catches the Worm — 2008 — Marco Baldini — Francesco Patierno • Your Whole Life Ahead of You — Lucio — Paolo Virzì • The Past Is a Foreign Land — Giorgio — Daniele Vicari • As God Commands — Quattro Formaggi — Gabriele Salvatores • La bella gente — 2009 — Giulio — Ivano De Matteo • Nine — Pierpaolo — Rob Marshall • La nostra vita — 2010 — Claudio — Daniele Luchetti • The End Is My Beginning — Folco Terzani — Jo Baier • Diaz – Don't Clean Up This Blood — 2012 — Luca Gualtieri — Daniele Vicari • Magnificent Presence — Pietro Pontechiavello — Ferzan Özpetek • The Landlords — Elia — Edoardo Gabbriellini • The Fifth Wheel — 2013 — Ernesto — Giovanni Veronesi • Leopardi — 2014 — Giacomo Leopardi — Mario Martone • Suburra — 2015 — Sebastiano — Stefano Sollima • The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun — Georges — Joann Sfar • Alaska — Fausto — Claudio Cupellini • Lost and Beautiful — Sarchiapone (voice) — Pietro Marcello • Il sogno di Francesco — 2016 — Francis of Assisi — Renaud Fely • Tenderness — 2017 — Fabio — Gianni Amelio • It's All About Karma — Mario Pitagora — Edoardo Falcone • Io sono Tempesta — 2018 — Bruno — Daniele Luchetti • Lucia's Grace — Arturo — Gianni Zanasi • The Man Without Gravity — 2019 — Oscar — Mario Bonfanti • Bad Tales — 2020 — Bruno Placido — Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo • Hidden Away — Antonio Ligabue — Giorgio Diritti • Rose Island — Giorgio Rosa — Sydney Sibilia • America Latina — 2021 — Massimo Sisti — Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo • Lord of the Ants — 2022 — Ennio Scribani — Gianni Amelio • Palazzina Laf — 2023 — Giancarlo Basile — Michele Riondino • Confidenza — 2024 — Pietro Vella — Daniele Luchetti • Sicilian Letters — Matteo — Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza • The Great Ambition — Enrico Berlinguer — Andrea Segre • Three Goodbyes — 2025 — Antonio — Isabel Coixet
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1231066: Elio Germano
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
- “Elio Germano”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
scholarly publication
- Elio Germano: Not Just an Actor, Italian Contemporary Screen Performers, 2024
Scholarly · Crossref registry · 2024
authority file
- VIAF cluster 100616714 for Elio Germano, aggregating national library name authorities.
General reference · OCLC
Awards and nominations
• Award — Year — Category — Nominated work — Result — Ref. Reference • Bari International Film Festival — 2011 — Best Actor — La nostra vita • 2015 — Leopardi • Berlin International Film Festival — 2008 — Shooting Stars Award — Himself • 2020 — Silver Bear for Best Actor — Hidden Away • Cannes Film Festival — 2010 — Prix d'interprétation masculine (tied with Javier Bardem) — La nostra vita • Ciak d'Oro — 2007 — Best Actor — My Brother Is an Only Child • 2012 — Magnificent Presence • 2015 — Leopardi • 2020 — Bad Tales • 2022 — America Latina • David di Donatello — 2004 — Best Supporting Actor — What Will Happen to Us • 2007 — Best Actor — My Brother Is an Only Child • 2011 — La nostra vita • 2012 — Magnificent Presence • 2015 — Leopardi • 2018 — Best Supporting Actor — Tenderness • 2021 — Best Actor — Hidden Away • 2022 — America Latina • 2023 — Best Supporting Actor — Lord of the Ants • 2024 — Palazzina Laf • 2025 — Best Actor — The Great Ambition • European Film Awards — 2007 — Best Actor — My Brother Is an Only Child • 2010 — La nostra vita • 2020 — Hidden Away • FICE Awards — 2005 — Best New Actor — Sangue – La morte non esiste • Globo d'Oro — 2007 — Best Breakthrough Actor — Napoleon and Me • 2008 — Best Actor — Fallen Heroes • 2011 — La nostra vita • 2012 — Magnificent Presence • 2016 — Alaska • 2024 — Confidenza • Guglielmo Biraghi Award — 2007 — Best Actor — Napoleon and Me • Kineo Award — 2008 — Best Actor — My Brother Is an Only Child • The Early Bird Catches the Worm • Best Supporting Actor — Your Whole Life Ahead of You • 2012 — Best Actor — Diaz – Don't Clean Up This Blood • 2015 — Leopardi • Nastro d'Argento — 2005 — Best Supporting Actor — What Will Happen to Us • 2008 — Best Actor — My Brother Is an Only Child • Fallen Heroes • 2010 — Best Actor (tied with Christian De Sica) — La nostra vita • 2012 — Best Actor — Magnificent Presence • 2014 — The Fifth Wheel • 2016 — Alaska • 2021 — Best Comedy Actor — Rose Island • 2024 — Best Supporting Actor — Palazzina Laf • Rome Film Festival — 2024 — Best Actor — The Great Ambition • Terni Film Festival — 2016 — Honorary Award — Himself • Venice International Film Festival — 2014 — Pasinetti Award — Leopardi • Vittorio Veneto Award
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
scholarly publication
Institutional witnessauthority file
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,408 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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- Eliot StannardPerson
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