Italian Drama 'The Last One for the Road' Dominates David di Donatello Awards With Seven Wins

Francesco Sossai's 'The Last One for the Road' took home seven awards at the 71st David di Donatello ceremony on May 6, 2026, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor, cementing its place as the standout Italian film of the year. The film entered the night with a leading 16 nominations, more than any other title in contention.

The Details

The ceremony was held at Cinecittà Studios in Rome and hosted by Flavio Insinna and Bianca Balti. Sossai's sophomore feature won Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor for Sergio Romano, Best Screenplay, Best Producer, Best Editing, and Best Original Song. The seven wins came from a field of 16 nominations, the largest haul of any film competing at this year's Davids.

Variety reported that Sossai, accepting the Best Film award, said: 'Freedom means being fearless. Thanks to all. And let's go get a drink!'

The film follows two broke fifty-something small-time crooks from Italy's Veneto region who befriend a shy architecture student from Naples, played by Filippo Scotti. The three embark on a chaotic voyage through the Venetian plains. In addition to Romano and Scotti, the cast includes Pierpaolo Capovilla, Roberto Citran, and Andrea Pennacchi.

The film world-premiered in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section in 2025 before receiving a U.S. release via Music Box Films on May 1, 2026.

Other major winners at the ceremony included Aurora Quattrocchi, who won Best Actress for 'Gioia Mia.' 'The Tasters' picked up Best Adapted Screenplay, the Youth David, and Best Makeup. Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' was named Best International Film.

Context

The David di Donatello Awards are presented by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano and are widely regarded as Italy's highest film honors. Sossai was born in Feltre and studied filmmaking at the German Film and TV Academy Berlin. 'The Last One for the Road' is his second feature film.

The film has screened at numerous international festivals including Cannes, New York, Munich, Thessaloniki, Wisconsin, Sarasota, and Göteborg.

The ceremony unfolded against a backdrop of tension over Italian government funding cuts to the culture ministry. Film production rebate allocations were reduced from €700 million in 2025 to €610 million in 2026, with €500 million earmarked for 2027. A boycott of the ceremony had been proposed in response to the cuts but did not take place.

Despite the funding reductions, Italian box office admissions rose 18.9% in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

What's Next

No upcoming projects from Sossai or the film's production team were announced during or immediately after the ceremony.