"We are gathered here for this occasion which, I say right away so that no one worries, will be particularly sober." This is the beginning of the unrestrained speech by Geppi Cucciari, who conducted the presentation of the David di Donatello awards at the Quirinale this morning: a message, which makes fun of the indications for the celebrations of last April 25th after the death of Pope Francis, which gives way to a flurry of jokes on a very long series of topics. Including today's Conclave : "We have David today, tomorrow the newspapers will be talking about nothing else," jokes the Cagliari native, nominated for best actress for "Diamanti".
Geppi Cucciari then turns to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, present in the front row. "You should become Pope, for the patience you have had with Italian politicians you should be a saint immediately: San Sergio" , with an amused reaction from the president himself. "This old but glitteringly charming place, just like its tenant, was once used by the Savoy family as an Airbnb. While here today is our president, who is now one step away from usucaption, he has reluctantly stipulated a 7+7. This is to say that Emanuele Filiberto could have been sitting in front of me: danger averted".
But one of Geppi Cucciari's main "targets" is the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli. "I want to express my solidarity with her, because many people point out her powerful rhetoric, her polished eloquence: in reality they are always crystalline interventions, in the age of social media once someone says something more evolved they are accused of this. She is the only minister whose interventions can even be listened to backwards, like a Black Sabbath record, and sometimes they improve ."
With Minister Giuli, Geppi Cucciari's speech also makes fun of cinema: «The extraordinary reform that you found also had some precious passages, including that of attributing funds to films about "great Italians". I fear I have bad news: they are running out. After "Young Leopardi", Elio Germano is about to shoot the sequel "Leopardi e quel rumore in garage". Pierfrancesco Favino is finishing filming "Io, Topo Gigio", Margherita Buy will be Cristina D'Avena in a film about 2, "Kiss me Licio" ».
The David di Donatello awards ceremony will be held tonight, live on Rai 1 starting at 9:40 p.m., hosted by Elena Sofia Ricci and Mika . "I am excited and happy to celebrate a great Italian tradition: the ability to fictionalize and create beautiful and engaging stories, often starting from nothing. Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli, Porta a Porta: three examples of inventiveness that the world envies us ," continued Geppi Cucciari.