Aurelio De Laurentiis

AURELIO DE LAURENTIIS is one of the most successful Italian entrepreneurs, equally divided between film production and distribution and the presidency of SSC Napoli, the historic club of the Neapolitan capital. The passion with which Aurelio De Laurentiis pursued his goals, both in the artistic and sporting fields, has allowed him to obtain results of absolute prestige in both fields.

The series of successes that distinguishes his career begins and continues in cinema: De Laurentiis is one of the most important Italian and international producers and, under the FILMAURO label, founded together with his father Luigi in 1975, produces and distributes over 400 films. The name of Aurelio De Laurentiis is linked to that of many unforgettable titles and figures in the history of cinema: A SMALL BORGHESE by Mario Monicelli, MACCHERONI by Ettore Scola, THE WITNESS OF THE GROOM by Pupi Avati, IL MOSTRO by Roberto Benigni, IO HO FEAR by Damiano Damiani, QUA LA MANO by Pasquale Festa Campanile, WEDDINGS by Cristina Comencini, HIGH HEELS and KIKA by Pedro Almodóvar, LEON, THE FIFTH ELEMENT and LE GRAND BLEU by Luc Besson, JAMON JAMON by Bigas Luna, THE LAST WAVE by Peter Weir, THE SON OF THE PINK PANTHER by Blake Edwards,

Aurelio De Laurentiis is active throughout the film industry, also taking care of its own circuit of cinemas and home-video and digital distribution.

Intuition and the ability to interpret the tastes of the public and market trends have made Aurelio De Laurentiis one of the most forward-looking producers in the business: it is to him that we owe the creation of films that have proved to be authentic "blockbusters", capable to position itself at the top of the charts for over 30 years, both in terms of revenues, but above all of appeal to the public: among these we should mention the series of MY FRIENDS and the cycle of the “Christmas comedy”. These are films that have conquered millions of cinema viewers, recording extremely high television audiences and formidable results in home-video distribution.

The history of Christmas comedies is dotted with records: from the legendary and initial CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS in 1983, to the following CHRISTMAS ON THE NILE, absolute champion in 2002; NATALE IN INDIA and CHRISTMAS IN LOVE, at the top of the box office in 2003 and 2004; CHRISTMAS IN MIAMI, absolute winner of the 2005 box office to the point of overcoming in Italy "King Kong", "Harry Potter", "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Madagascar". CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK, blockbuster in 2006, is the first film produced together with his son Luigi who, after completing his studies at USC (University of Southern California) and working in the family business for 3 years, reconstitutes with his father the duo Aurelio & Luigi De Laurentiis, a true trademark of historical value. The successes continue under the father-son logo with CHRISTMAS IN CRUISE, the first gross of the 2007/2008 film season; CHRISTMAS IN RIO 2008 blockbuster; CHRISTMAS IN BEVERLY HILLS, the first Italian collection of 2009; CHRISTMAS IN SOUTH AFRICA, a great success of 2010; CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS IN CORTINA. Keen talent scout, attentive to the tastes of the public and capable of intercepting changes, for Christmas 2012 changes the proven formula in three decades and returns to the movie-movie with COLPI DI FULMINE, which once again breaks the box office and ranks first place of the most viewed Italian films during the holiday season. For the holidays at the end of 2013, Filmauro proposes LUCKY SHOTS and the film is always the number one of the Italian box office at the end of the year. first Italian collection of 2009; CHRISTMAS IN SOUTH AFRICA, a great success of 2010; CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS IN CORTINA. Keen talent scout, attentive to the tastes of the public and capable of intercepting changes, for Christmas 2012 changes the proven formula in three decades and returns to the movie-movie with COLPI DI FULMINE, which once again breaks the box office and ranks first place of the most viewed Italian films during the holiday season. For the holidays at the end of 2013, Filmauro proposes LUCKY SHOTS and the film is always the number one of the Italian box office at the end of the year. first Italian collection of 2009; CHRISTMAS IN SOUTH AFRICA, a great success of 2010; CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS IN CORTINA. Keen talent scout, attentive to the tastes of the public and capable of intercepting changes, for Christmas 2012 changes the proven formula in three decades and returns to the movie-movie with COLPI DI FULMINE, which once again breaks the box office and ranks first place of the most viewed Italian films during the holiday season. For the holidays at the end of 2013, Filmauro proposes LUCKY SHOTS and the film is always the number one of the Italian box office at the end of the year. for Christmas 2012 the proven formula changes in three decades and returns to the movie-movie with COLPI DI FULMINE, which once again breaks the box office and ranks first among the most viewed Italian films during the Christmas holidays. For the holidays at the end of 2013, Filmauro proposes LUCKY SHOTS and the film is always the number one of the Italian box office at the end of the year. for Christmas 2012 the proven formula changes in three decades and returns to the movie-movie with COLPI DI FULMINE, which once again breaks the box office and ranks first among the most viewed Italian films during the Christmas holidays. For the holidays at the end of 2013, Filmauro proposes LUCKY SHOTS and the film is always the number one of the Italian box office at the end of the year.

With Vittorio De Sica's son Christian, Aurelio De Laurentiis set the record for the actor with the longest-lasting success, from 1983 to 2013: thirty years of continuous success with directors Carlo and Enrico Vanzina, Enrico Oldoini and Neri Parenti. In addition, in the United States the Guinness Book of World Records, since 2005, has included in the records the Christmas comedies within the category "Longest-running themed films", even beating the famous 007 series with James Bond.

In the 2000s, Aurelio De Laurentiis establishes an exclusive partnership with Carlo Verdone, who writes, directs and interprets for him other films that have achieved great critical and public success: from IL MIO MIGLIOR ENEMICO, third overall gross in 2006, to GRANDE LARGE AND… GREEN; from POSTI IN PIEDI IN PARADISO, up to the latest success SOTTO UNA BUONA STELLA, released on screens on February 13, 2014.

Aurelio De Laurentiis had an important collaboration with French cinema, starting with Luc Besson, for the films already mentioned, to continue with the director Jean-Marie Poiré, for the films LES VISITEURS and LES VISITEURS 2 which were record frequency in France, then moving on to collaboration with director Francis Veber for the films LE DINER DES CONS, LE PLACARD and TAIS-TOI, with Mathieu Kassovitz for LES RIVIERES POURPRES and then with Olivier Dahan for LES RIVIERES POURPRES 2. This important relationship with the French cinema he led Aurelio De Laurentiis to be appointed in 2002 by the then French Minister of Culture Jean-Jacques Aillagon, “Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”.

From 1993 to 2003 Aurelio De Laurentiis was President of the International Federation of Film Production Associations (FIAPF) to which 26 countries (from the United States to China) belong; in 2003 he became honorary president for life. Since 2008 he has been one of the main shareholders and director of Italian Entertainment Group SPA (which controls Cinecittà Studios SPA, Cinecittà Parchi SPA, Luneur Park SPA and also participates in Filmmaster Group SPA). From October 2001 to June 2006 he was president of the UNPF, the National Union of Film Producers of Anica.

Aurelio De Laurentiis has won numerous awards, including more than 40 gold tickets and 15 David di Donatello. In 2000 he received the Palm Springs International Film Festival award for his activity as a producer and distributor. In December 2002 he was awarded the Vittorio De Sica Prize for Italian cinema.

At the end of August 2003 the traditional “Power List” of Italian cinema - drawn up every year by the trade magazines Ciak and Box Office - puts Aurelio De Laurentiis first. In February 2005 he obtained the Nastro d'Argento as Best Producer for WHAT WILL BE ABOUT US and EVERYTHING IN THAT NIGHT. In March 2005 he won the Grolla d'Oro of the Saint Vincent Prize for Cinema with CHRISTMAS IN LOVE (most successful Italian film in theaters), CHE NE SARA 'DI NOI (most rented Italian film in home video), I FIUMI DI PORPORA 2 (French film most purchased in home video in Italy).

In June 2005 he won the Ciak d'Oro as Best Producer for MANUALE D'AMORE. In November 2005, the Review on Italian Cinema in Assisi is entirely dedicated to him, and is the first edition to be dedicated to a producer.

In June 2006 he received the special “Globo d'oro 2006” foreign press award and in July the Giffoni Award at the Giffoni Film Festival. In June 2008 he was awarded the Nastro d'Argento for GRANDE GROSSO E… VERDONE. In September 2010, as part of the Venice International Film Festival, he received the "Variety Profile in Excellence" award, awarded by the prestigious magazine with the following motivation: "Aurelio De Laurentiis has always been able to stay in touch with the tastes of the public. It is truly the only Italian producer that still emanates that genuine grandeur given by a symbiotic relationship with a large audience. Aurelio has an innate radar for pop impulses, has business sense and a real willingness to take risks ”.

In 2004 he took over the historic team of the Neapolitan city from the Bankruptcy Court of Naples, with the aim of re-founding a club that today boasts a heritage of top-level players. Forced to restart from Serie C, in just three years he manages to bring Napoli back to Serie A. In the world club rankings, however, Napoli hasn't been featured for some time; after a few months of work in A, he reappears in 500th place. After fourteen years of absence from the International Cups, Napoli also returns to Europe through the Intertoto, the Europa League and the Champions League.

In 2012 the team won the Italian Cup against Juventus and in the same year they qualified for the prestigious Champions League by clashing with titled opponents such as Manchester City and Bayern Munich; in 2013 she finished second in the Italian Serie A championship, automatically entering the top European competition, where she faced an iron group including Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Olympique Marseille, achieving the incredible result of 12 points. In 2014, Napoli won their fifth Coppa Italia, winning in the final against Fiorentina.

With constant and intelligent marketing work, Aurelio De Laurentiis has repositioned the blue club among the top thirty most important teams in the world.

Numerous and of great prestige are the awards and prizes awarded to Aurelio De Laurentiis for his activities by the most important national and international institutions: in June 1995 he was awarded the title of "Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic" by the Presidency of Cabinet; in April 2005 the President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi nominated him "Grand Officer of the Republic". In January 2007 he was appointed "Ambassador of Rome" by the mayor Walter Veltroni. In June 2008 he was awarded the title of "Cavaliere del Lavoro" by the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano and in December of the same year he received the Leonardo Quality Italy Award from the Head of State. In October 2010 he received the prestigious " awarded annually to high-level professionals and entrepreneurs who have distinguished themselves in their professional sector, for having "produced and distributed some of the most important titles in modern cinema, contributing in particular to enhancing and promoting Italian cinema in the world". In January 2012 he received the prestigious "Career Recognition Award" from the British government during the 5th edition of the UK – ITALY Business Awards (UKTI). awarded annually to high-level professionals and entrepreneurs who have distinguished themselves in their professional sector, for having "produced and distributed some of the most important titles in modern cinema, contributing in particular to enhancing and promoting Italian cinema in the world". In January 2012 he received the prestigious "Career Recognition Award" from the British government during the 5th edition of the UK – ITALY Business Awards (UKTI).