Gianluca Matarrese, an Italian director based in Paris, has established himself as a
prominent voice in contemporary documentary filmmaking.
Over the past five years, he has directed nine acclaimed films presented at
prestigious international festivals, including the Venice Film Festival, IDFA,
Thessaloniki, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, DMZ, Torino Film Festival, Visions du Réel,
Biografilm, Festival dei Popoli, and Cinéma du Réel. His work spans a diverse range
of themes such as body manipulation, gender affirmation, economic decline,
unresolved trauma, theater, and the interplay between reality and fiction.
Gianluca’s career began with his debut feature-length documentary Fuori Tutto,
which won Best Italian Documentary at the Turin Film Festival in 2019. In 2021, his
film La Dernière Séance, a poignant exploration of the AIDS crisis, earned the
Queer Lion Award at the Venice International Critics' Week. That same year, he
delved into the fashion world with Fashion Babylon, offering an incisive behindthe-
scenes look at an industry defined by artifice and allure.
In 2022, Gianluca released Il Posto (A Steady Job), chronicling the journey of
unemployed nurses from southern to northern Italy as they seek work amidst a
national healthcare crisis. His short film Pinned Into a Dress, a portrait of iconic
drag queen Miss Fame, opened the Venice International Critics' Week. Most
recently, in 2023, Gianluca directed L’Expérience Zola, a bold adaptation of Émile Zola’s L’Assommoir, blending fiction and reality in a modern retelling that
premiered at the Venice Film Festival, IDFA, and Cinéma du Réel.
Regularly supported by esteemed broadcasters such as France Télévisions and
ARTE, Gianluca’s body of work has been celebrated for its precision, depth, and
ability to address complex social, cultural, and personal narratives. His major titles also include Les Beaux Parleurs, cementing his reputation as a filmmaker who continues to push boundaries and redefine the documentary genre.
prominent voice in contemporary documentary filmmaking.
Over the past five years, he has directed nine acclaimed films presented at
prestigious international festivals, including the Venice Film Festival, IDFA,
Thessaloniki, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, DMZ, Torino Film Festival, Visions du Réel,
Biografilm, Festival dei Popoli, and Cinéma du Réel. His work spans a diverse range
of themes such as body manipulation, gender affirmation, economic decline,
unresolved trauma, theater, and the interplay between reality and fiction.
Gianluca’s career began with his debut feature-length documentary Fuori Tutto,
which won Best Italian Documentary at the Turin Film Festival in 2019. In 2021, his
film La Dernière Séance, a poignant exploration of the AIDS crisis, earned the
Queer Lion Award at the Venice International Critics' Week. That same year, he
delved into the fashion world with Fashion Babylon, offering an incisive behindthe-
scenes look at an industry defined by artifice and allure.
In 2022, Gianluca released Il Posto (A Steady Job), chronicling the journey of
unemployed nurses from southern to northern Italy as they seek work amidst a
national healthcare crisis. His short film Pinned Into a Dress, a portrait of iconic
drag queen Miss Fame, opened the Venice International Critics' Week. Most
recently, in 2023, Gianluca directed L’Expérience Zola, a bold adaptation of Émile Zola’s L’Assommoir, blending fiction and reality in a modern retelling that
premiered at the Venice Film Festival, IDFA, and Cinéma du Réel.
Regularly supported by esteemed broadcasters such as France Télévisions and
ARTE, Gianluca’s body of work has been celebrated for its precision, depth, and
ability to address complex social, cultural, and personal narratives. His major titles also include Les Beaux Parleurs, cementing his reputation as a filmmaker who continues to push boundaries and redefine the documentary genre.