Nicola Piovani (born 26 May 1946) is an Italian light-classical musician, theater and film score composer. In 1998, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score for Roberto Benigni's film Life Is Beautiful (1997). After high school, Piovani enrolled at the Sapienza University of Rome, receiving his degree in piano from the Verdi Conservatory in Milan in 1967, and later studied orchestration under the Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis. In 1971 and 1973 collaborated for the music of two albums of the songwriter Fabrizio De André: Storia di un impiegato and Non al denaro non all'amore né al cielo. In 2008, after De André departure, Piovani wrote the music for the film Amore che vieni, amore che vai, inspired by a novel of De André himself, Un destino ridicolo. Among his more popular works is the score for the Federico Fellini film Intervista, his second of three collaborations with the famous director, the others being Ginger e Fred (Ginger and Fred in English) and La voce della luna (The Voice of the Moon). Years later, he composed a ballet titled Balletto Fellini. In 2000, his Academy Award-winning score for Life Is Beautiful (La Vita è bella) was further nominated for a Grammy Award in the "Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media" category, losing to Randy Newman. In 2005, he was a member of the jury at the 27th Moscow International Film Festival. In light of his recent work with French directors, notably Danièle Thompson, Philippe Lioret, and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, the French Minister of Culture gave him the title of Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on 21 May 2008 at the Cannes Film Festival. To date, Piovani has over 130 film scores to his credit, including films such as Slap the Monster on Page One (1972), The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974), Flavia the Heretic (1974), Le Orme (1975), A Leap in the Dark (1980) The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982), and Kaos (1984). The music for the latter is considered by many as one of the best film scores ever done. However, he is reported to believe that "Too many film scores make a composer a hack, but in the theatre music is above all craftsmanship". Accordingly, he continues to work in musical theatre, and also composes concert and chamber music. Piovani also composed the first opera Amorosa presenza on a libretto by Aisha Cerami and Nicola Piovani, based on the novel by Vincenzo Cerami and is performed at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste in January 2022. In 2023, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Soundtrack Academy. In 2024, Piovani composed the score for Loris Lai's debut feature film, How Kids Roll. Source: Article "Nicola Piovani" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
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Biography from TMDB.
- May 26, 1946 (80)
- Rome, Italy
- Composer, also actor
- 53 on MovieCove · 175 credits in all
What are Nicola Piovani's films like?
Across their 51 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 4 · Wry 2 · Earnest 43
A split, not a type: Light 20 · Serious 15 · Dark 16
A split, not a type: Grounded 27 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 10
Gentle 16 · Charged 26 · Intense 9
Steady 27 · Shifting 20 · Whiplash 4
Straight-faced 22 · Some laughs 22 · Funny 7
Slow burn 27 · Even-paced 24 · Relentless 0
Casual 20 · Engaged 27 · Full focus 4
Easy watch 16 · Affecting 18 · Heavy 17
Resolved 34 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 7
Moods and endings
- Happy10
- Bittersweet28
- Tragic5
- Ambiguous6
- Cyclical1
- Other1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Nicola Piovani's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 53 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).
- Cohen Media Channel, show their 2 titles on Cohen Media Channel
- Cineverse, show their title on Cineverse
- Film Movement Plus, show their title on Film Movement Plus
- France Channel, show their title on France Channel
- Midnight Pulp, show their title on Midnight Pulp
- Sundance Now, show their title on Sundance Now
Subscription and free streaming for Nicola Piovani's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
175 credits, 53 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Cento e oltre. Puccini e noi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Manara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Vacuumin’ Around (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Il camorrista - Una serie di Giuseppe Tornatore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Natale in casa Cupiello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Accattaroma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Il Labirinto di Creta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
The Children's Train(2024)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Winter Lemons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
My Paper Dolls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Lord of the Ants(2022)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Leonora addio(2022)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Amorosa presenza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Il sangue e la parola - Non la spada ma la parola illumini la via (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
I fratelli De Filippo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Anaïs in Love(2021)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
DeAndré#DeAndré - Storia di un impiegato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Il nostro Eduardo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
The Best Years(2020)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Hammamet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Mi chiamo Altan e faccio vignette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Aspromonte: Land of The Forgotten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
The Traitor(2019)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Adrian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Sinfonia delle Stagioni (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Vasco e Viola (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Now and Forever Time to Reclaim Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Non è una bufala (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Una festa esagerata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Una gita a Roma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
Daydreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)
In arte Nino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Just a Movie: On the Set of 'Mia Madre' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
The Confessions(2016)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Nicola Piovani con l'Orchestra Rai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
L'amore non perdona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Banana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Hungry Hearts(2014)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
La trattativa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)
Benur: Un Gladiatore In Affitto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
L'ultimo Papa Re (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)
Cherry on the Cake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)
The Chef(2012)
Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
Resurrection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
La visita meravigliosa: Viaggio in Italia sulle tracce di Nino Rota (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Shooting VS Shooting (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
All at Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
The Cézanne Affair(2009)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
The Big Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Queen to Play(2009)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Welcome(2009)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Le code a changé(2009)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Ballerina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Amore che vieni, amore che vai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
Odette Toulemonde(2006)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Don't Worry, I'm Fine(2006)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Orchestra Seats(2006)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all filmsThe Mafia is white (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
The Tiger and the Snow(2005)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
L'ombra cinese (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
La trappola di Maigret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
The Light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
My Magical Friend Sams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
Fellini's TV Advertisements (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
The Undesirables(2003)
Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Pinocchio(2002)
Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films
Il nostro matrimonio è in crisi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
The Slurb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
The Son's Room(2001)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
In Love and War(2001)
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all filmsCome quando fuori piove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Viper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
La seconda ombra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
La carbonara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Trent'anni di oblio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Love in the Mirror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Running Free(1999)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
Sweet Idleness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
La fame e la sete (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
No Trains No Planes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
Life Is Beautiful(1997)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
The Man in Grey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Santo Stefano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
The Impostor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Linda e il brigadiere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Uomo d'acqua dolce(1997)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Camere da letto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
La mia generazione (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Charlotte Sophie Bentinck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Nemici d'infanzia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
Bad Kid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
A Month by the Lake(1995)
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
The Flying Dutchman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
A che punto è la notte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
The Tit and the Moon(1994)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Kim Novak Is on the Phone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Benito: The Rise and Fall of Mussolini (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Dear Diary(1993)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Per amore, solo per amore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Amok (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Golden Balls(1993)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all filmsUna questione privata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Living Naked(1993)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
I Don't Want to Talk About It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
Fiorile(1993)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Jamon Jamon(1992)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Utz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
The Siege of Venice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
The Indecent Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Out of Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
In nome del popolo sovrano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
The Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Traces of an Amorous Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Night Sun(1990)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
The Voice of the Moon(1990)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Dark Illness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
Palombella rossa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Australia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
12 Directors for 12 Cities (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
La moglie ingenua e il marito malato (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
L'appassionata (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
La soule (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
'O re(1989)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all filmsBologna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
I 7 Re di Roma (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Lenin: The Train(1988)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Lenin... The Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Disamistade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
I cammelli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
It's Happening Tomorrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Manifesto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Intervista (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
The Bride Was Beautiful (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
Good Morning Babylon(1987)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
The Professor(1986)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Let's Hope It's a Girl(1986)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Ginger & Fred(1986)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
The Mass Is Ended(1985)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films
Secrets Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Bertoldo, Bertoldino, and Cacasenno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Kaos(1984)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
The Scorpion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
La trace(1983)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Blow to the Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
The Eyes, the Mouth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
The Magic Screen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
The Marquis of Grillo(1981)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
The Girl with the Red Hair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Soup (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Vacation in Val Trebbia(1980)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
The Istambul Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
A Leap in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
In the Highest Heavens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
The Seagull (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Sun of the Hyenas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Victory March (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
La vita in gioco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Footprints on the Moon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Fit to Be Untied (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
Vermisat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Flavia, the Heretic(1974)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
The Perfume of the Lady in Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Morel's Invention (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Daniele and Maria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
N.P. - The Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
In the Name of the Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
Tin Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Career shape
A full career of 170 titles from 1970 to 2025.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
Awards
an Oscar and 1 other major award from 3 major nominations, 1999–2015.
- Venice award, won
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Oscar, won · Best Music, Original Dramatic Score
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Nicola Piovani's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 53; across their 51 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up18
- 50th to 74th24
- 25th to 49th9
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
35 of their 53 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved5
- Cult Classic2
- Crowd Pleaser35
- Broadly Agreed4
- Mixed7
Reviewers score the sound and music 69/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Nicola Piovani's work okay for kids?
Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Nicola Piovani work with?
People who share at least 2 of Nicola Piovani's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ruggero Mastroianni shares the most, 7.
Directors
- Paolo TavianiShared titles: Leonora addio (2022), Fiorile (1993), Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 6 shared titles with Paolo Taviani
- Vittorio TavianiShared titles: Fiorile (1993), Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 5 shared titles with Vittorio Taviani
- Roberto BenigniShared titles: The Tiger and the Snow (2005), Pinocchio (2002), Life Is Beautiful (1997), The Voice of the Moon (1990)See all 4 shared titles with Roberto Benigni
- Nanni MorettiShared titles: The Son's Room (2001), Dear Diary (1993), The Mass Is Ended (1985)See all 3 shared titles with Nanni Moretti
Writers
- Tonino GuerraShared titles: Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), Ginger & Fred (1986), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 5 shared titles with Tonino Guerra
- Vincenzo CeramiShared titles: The Tiger and the Snow (2005), Pinocchio (2002), Life Is Beautiful (1997), Uomo d'acqua dolce (1997)See all 4 shared titles with Vincenzo Cerami
- Tullio PinelliShared titles: The Voice of the Moon (1990), Ginger & Fred (1986), Let's Hope It's a Girl (1986), The Marquis of Grillo (1981)See all 4 shared titles with Tullio Pinelli
- Luigi PirandelloShared titles: Leonora addio (2022), The Two Lives of Mattia Pascal (1985), Kaos (1984)See all 3 shared titles with Luigi Pirandello
Actors
- Margarita LozanoShared titles: Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), The Mass Is Ended (1985), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 5 shared titles with Margarita Lozano
- Claudio BigagliShared titles: Leonora addio (2022), Fiorile (1993), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 4 shared titles with Claudio Bigagli
- Stefano AccorsiShared titles: The Children's Train (2024), There's No Place Like Home (2018), The Son's Room (2001)See all 3 shared titles with Stefano Accorsi
- Pierfrancesco FavinoShared titles: The Best Years (2020), There's No Place Like Home (2018), The Confessions (2016)See all 3 shared titles with Pierfrancesco Favino
Cinematographers and editors
- Ruggero MastroianniShared titles: 'O re (1989), Ginger & Fred (1986), Let's Hope It's a Girl (1986), The Two Lives of Mattia Pascal (1985), The Marquis of Grillo (1981), Flavia, the Heretic (1974), Slap the Monster on Page One (1972)See all 7 shared titles with Ruggero Mastroianni
- Roberto PerpignaniShared titles: Leonora addio (2022), Fiorile (1993), Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 6 shared titles with Roberto Perpignani
- Giuseppe LanciShared titles: The Son's Room (2001), Dear Diary (1993), Fiorile (1993), Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), Kaos (1984)See all 6 shared titles with Giuseppe Lanci
- Esmeralda CalabriaShared titles: The Children's Train (2024), The Cézanne Affair (2009), The Son's Room (2001)See all 3 shared titles with Esmeralda Calabria
Producers
- Giuliani G. De NegriShared titles: Night Sun (1990), Good Morning Babylon (1987), Kaos (1984), The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)See all 4 shared titles with Giuliani G. De Negri
- Paolo Del BroccoShared titles: Leonora addio (2022), The Best Years (2020), There's No Place Like Home (2018)See all 3 shared titles with Paolo Del Brocco
- Angelo BarbagalloShared titles: The Confessions (2016), The Son's Room (2001), Dear Diary (1993)See all 3 shared titles with Angelo Barbagallo
- Elda FerriShared titles: The Tiger and the Snow (2005), Pinocchio (2002), Life Is Beautiful (1997)See all 3 shared titles with Elda Ferri