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He interrupts his studies in Literature to move to Lyon where in 1995 he buys a 16mm movie camera and directs the short "La Place", dedicated to the square in which he lives, and its regular dwellers. The film receives the "Sacher d'oro" prize at the Nanni Moretti's Festival. After a few months at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Roma, a new short: "Jahilia" (Occidente), the story of a Maghrebin migrant on the hills of Oltrepò pavese in Italy inspired by the characters and situations of a short story by Flannery O'Connor. In 1997 he takes part in the collective film "Com'è bella la città" (Beautiful is the city), curated by Goffredo Fofi. In 1998, he directs "Dolce Stil Novo", story of adolescents living in the suburbs of Milan traced on a novel by Checov; presented at the Locarno Film Festival and at the Biennial of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean (Rome 1999).

With "Questo è il giardino" (This is the garden), written with Carolina Freschi, the film's main actress, he makes his debut in feature film. The film tells the story of two young music school students in Milan and is divided into four phases (falling in love, passion, separation e reunion), with reference to the four gardens in the Bible (Genesis, Canticle of Canticles, Gospel and Apocalipse). Best First Film Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1999. In 2001, he directs "L'amore imperfetto" (Imperfect Love), a film in competition in Venice, inspired by true facts and tells the story of the parents of a child who suffers from a severe deformity. "Bologna, 16-2-05, Giovanni Maderna and Antonio Moresco meet Alberto Grifi", is a documentary-interview dedicated to the works of the great Italian experimental filmmaker.

With his films "Schopenhauer" (2006, in competition at Locarno Film Festival) and four years later "Heaven without Earth" ("Cielo senza terra" 2010, Festival di Venezia in Competition at Venice Days), co-directed with Sara Pozzoli, he starts a season in quest of a deep renovation of cinematographic language, striving to merge very different and apparently inconsistent influences. It is an attempt to drive filmmaking to a clear simplicity, releasing it from both contemporary realism and patronising author's approach. He overtly quotes as source of inspiration directors Robert Bresson, Alberto Grifi and Otar Iosseliani, but also hollywood helmers Leo McCarey and Preston Sturges.

He founds the production company Quarto Film and since 2007 he works with authors such as Francesco Gatti, Dario Buccino, Filippo Ticozzi, Sara Pozzoli, Michelangelo Frammartino, Mauro Santini, Tonino De Bernardi and Giovanni Cioni.

In 2012 he curates the independent section "Cinema Corsaro" at Venice Film Festival, a selection of works marked by an unconventional and experimental approach to both production and direction. In this occasion he presents his new film "Carmela, saved by Buccaneers", co-directed with Mauro Santini and part of a series of experimental films loosely based on Emilio Salgari's "Yolanda, la figlia del Corsaro Nero".

"Look Love Lost" (2012) is a film made with private footage recorded over a few years and edited in a single session on Christmas Day 2011.

In 2015 he founds the London-based production company El Entertainment Ltd, named after Luis Buñuel's "Él".

In 2018 he starts a collaboration with experimental filmmaker and artist Louis Benassi. Their first joint work is the 16mm diptych "The title is pretentious.. considering the purity of the endeavour", released in 2019.

In September 2020 he films in Rome "The Walk", based on Robert Walser's legendary novella, collaborating with actor Lino Musella and cinematographer Robbie Ryan, awarded Gabbiano Prize at Bellaria Film Festival 2022.

Awards

Giovanni Maderna

Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists

Locarno Film Festival

Venice Film Festival

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