Italy's Nanni Moretti directs, stars in Cannes entry 'A Brighter Tomorrow'

Renowned Italian director Nanni Moretti both directs and stars in "A Brighter Tomorrow," which premiered worldwide on Wednesday and is his ninth film to compete for the Cannes Film Festival's top prize.

Renowned Italian director Nanni Moretti both directs and stars in "A Brighter Tomorrow," which premiered worldwide on Wednesday and is his ninth film to compete for the Cannes Film Festival's top prize. So far he has come home with the Palme d'Or only once - more than 20 years ago, with "The Son's Room" in 2001.

His other accolades include the Venice Film Festival's special jury prize in 1981 with "Sweet Dreams" and the Berlin Film Festival's second prize, the Silver Bear, in 1986 with "The Mass Is Ended." Moretti, 69, who often plays the lead role in his films, this time is Giovanni, a movie director. Giovanni is facing troubles both with his family and his latest film project, which is focused on the effects of the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary on Italy's Communist Party.

Giovanni firmly believes in the project and the need to tell the story of the Italian Communist Party at that time and how it missed the opportunity to break away from the Soviet Union, said Moretti, adding: "But today, no one remembers these events, the world has changed and so has the way films are made." The Variety trade publication reported this month that the Rome-based film, which had special permission to be released locally ahead of its Cannes premiere, has already done well commercially since its April 20 release in roughly 500 theatres.

Moretti served as president of the Cannes jury in 2012. His first film in Cannes' official selection was 1978's "Ecce bombo."

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