If cinema had a Mount Rushmore, Martin Scorsese would probably be arguing with the sculptor about the lighting. The legendary American filmmaker has shaped modern cinema with unforgettable films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas, while winning the Academy Award for Best Director for The Departed. Now, as Honorary President of Italy’s David di Donatello Academy, Martin Scorsese is making his legacy even more legendary.

With that, as if he had not accomplished enough, this latest honor could have him presiding over Italy’s Oscars.

Martin Scorsese to be honorary president of David di Donatello Academy

Martin Scorsese is set to become the honorary president of the David di Donatello Academy of Italian cinema, the organization behind Italy’s equivalent of the Oscars, as per Variety. His appointment follows Gianluca Farinelli becoming artistic director of the David di Donatello Awards. The academy now needs board approval, although that is expected to be little more than a formality.

“Being associated, in this capacity, with the Academy and the David di Donatello Awards is particularly meaningful to me.” For Martin Scorsese, the position carries a deeply personal significance rooted in his lifelong admiration for Italian cinema. The filmmaker said Italian films, filmmakers, and artistic traditions profoundly shaped both his understanding of cinema and his own body of work.

Now, the celebrated filmmaker will help advance Italian cinema and film culture on the international stage. According to Variety, Alessandro Giuli proposed Scorsese for the honorary presidency, citing his rare bond with Italy’s cinematic heritage. The culture minister described Scorsese’s acceptance as an extraordinary tribute to Italian cinema and the land of his origins. With Scorsese on board, the David di Donatello Academy is getting quite the glamorous guardian for its cinematic legacy.

From lovingly appearing in his daughter’s coffee ad to championing Italian cinema, Martin Scorsese clearly knows how to commit to a passion.

Martin Scorsese’s love for Italian filmmaking

For Martin Scorsese, Italian cinema is not simply an influence; it is practically part of his artistic bloodstream. Growing up in New York City’s Little Italy, he watched Italian films at home, finding echoes of his family and heritage in works by Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica. Italian Neorealism, in particular, helped shape his instinct for raw, emotionally honest storytelling.

Scorsese has spent decades returning that affection, most notably through My Voyage to Italy, his expansive documentary celebrating Italian cinema’s greatest masters. His admiration for Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti, and Michelangelo Antonioni has also informed his own filmmaking, while his preservation work has helped safeguard Italian classics. Now, his honorary presidency of the David di Donatello Academy feels like a fitting full-circle tribute to the cinema that helped shape him.

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