Giovanna Mezzogiorno was born into a show business family, the daughter of actors Vittorio Mezzogiorno and Cecilia Saachi. She studied acting with legendary theatre director Peter Brook before beginning a career in film with an award-winning turn in “The Bride’s Journey” (1997). Her first international role was a supporting part in “Les Miserables” (2000) with Gerard Depardieu and John Malkovich, and the following year she delighted audiences with her role in the award winning “The Last Kiss” (for which she was nominated for her first Italian Academy Award, the David). For “Facing Windows,” Mezzogiorno won the David for Best Actress, as well as Best Actress Awards from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists and at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia. Her other starring roles include “Nobel” (2001), “Malefemmene” (2001) and the upcoming “Entrusted” with Klaus Maria Brandauer.