A film by actor-director Sergio Castellitto, ‘Fortunata’ follows the journey of a freelance hairdresser in pursuit of her dream to open her own salon in the Roman suburbs.
The film was one of two Italian films to appear in the Un Certain Regard section, running parallel to the official selection and judged by a separate jury headed by actress Uma Thurman.
The other Italian film to feature in the Un Certain Regard section was Annarita Zambrano's directing debut, 'Dopo la guerra'.
Trinca dedicated the award to her family.
“[To my mother] who taught me Fortunata’s integrity, and to my daughter who is eight like Fortunata's daughter and who cried and protested this morning because I wouldn't be with her tonight," she said.
Trinca also thanked Castellitto and his novelist wife Margaret Mazzantini, who wrote the screenplay.
"I owe a lot [to both of them]," she added.
"They entrusted their creature to me, they trusted me; and then it all came naturally, with the strength, determination and anger of this woman who united us all on the set, driving us to give our best."
The film, which also stars award-winning actor Stefano Accorsi, was released in Italy on May 20.
Four other Italian films appeared in other sections at Cannes this year, including ‘Sicilian Ghost Story’ by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza, Roberto De Paolis' debut ‘Cuori Puri’, ‘A Ciambra’ by Jonas Carpignano, and ‘L'Intrusa’ by Leonardo Di Costanzo.
"In addition to great vibrancy, Italy has shown in particular the appearance of a new class of authors ready to enter the international limelight," Castellitto said.
The Palme d'Or, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival, went to ‘The Square’, a comedy by Swedish director Ruben Ostlund.
American director Sofia Coppola became the second woman in the history of the festival to win the best director award for ‘The Beguiled’, based on the novel by Thomas P. Cullinan about a Union soldier hiding out in a Virginia girls' school.
The film stars Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst and Nicole Kidman, who won a special award to celebrate the festival’s 70th anniversary.
Diane Kruger was named best actress for her performance in Fatih Akin's ‘In the Fade’, and Joaquin Phoenix won best actor for his part in Lynne Ramsay's thriller ‘You Were Never Really Here’.
Italian actress Monica Bellucci hosted the opening and closing ceremonies on the Croisette, while the official jury headed by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar also included Oscar-winning Italian director Paolo Sorrentino.
With ANSA
