Italian film director Paolo Sorrentino at Sarajevo Film Festival Masterclass: Genocide is taking place in Gaza

Asked how he first got into film, Sorrentino recalled that at 18, while sitting at home watching a movie, he realized he didn’t know how to do anything else and thought he could pursue filmmaking. He soon bought books on writing and directing and began working in the film industry at 25, after initially studying economics.

His first feature film, One Man Up (2001), was selected for the Venice International Film Festival. From there, he went on to a string of successes and today is considered a millionaire.

During the Masterclass, Sorrentino inspired the young audience with his advice: anyone can make a film, but to create a good one, it’s essential to cultivate yourself and your talent, read extensively, and visit museums. He described himself as “very lazy” but highly diligent at work, a trait producers appreciate because he works quickly, saving valuable shooting time—so he can go home and be alone.

On a question about Gaza and whether film can influence real-world events, Sorrentino acknowledged his limits as an individual but firmly stated that genocide is occurring there.

Sorrentino’s films have received wide acclaim internationally. The Consequences of Love (2004) and The Family Friend (2006) competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, as did The Giant (2008), which won the Jury Prize. He returned to Cannes in 2011 with This Must Be the Place and in 2013 with The Great Beauty, which won the Academy Award®, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for Best Foreign Language Film, as well as three European Film Academy awards.

In 2016, his film Youth competed at Cannes, winning three EFA awards, an Oscar® nomination, and two Golden Globe nominations. That same year, he created and directed the TV series The Young Pope, earning Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. In 2018, he directed the film Loro (Silvio) starring Toni Servillo, and in 2019, he returned to TV with The New Pope, featuring Jude Law and John Malkovich.

In 2021, his film The Hand of God received an Oscar® nomination for Best International Feature Film, won the Silver Lion Jury Grand Prize and the Marcello Mastroianni Award at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, as well as five David di Donatello awards—including Best Film and Best Director—and four Nastri d’Argento awards, including Best Film.

In 2024, Sorrentino wrote and directed Parthenope, which competed at the Cannes International Film Festival and won the Biglietto D’Oro as one of the year’s most-watched films.