Valeria Golino, the Greek-Italian actress whose film career spans decades (as enduring as the Tiber River), is set to deliver a potentially career-defining performance in Mario Martone’s competition entry Fuori (“Outside”). In the film, she portrays Goliarda Sapienza, the iconic Italian writer, focusing on Sapienza’s life and creative inspiration in 1980s Italy—a role steeped in personal connection, as Golino already has ties to the author’s legacy.
Last year, Golino appeared at Cannes with the first two episodes of the TV series The Art of Joy, an adaptation of Sapienza’s work. This prior engagement makes her portrayal of Sapienza in Fuori all the more anticipated: she steps from adapting the writer’s stories to embodying the writer herself, a full-circle moment that promises depth and authenticity.
Golino’s relationship with Cannes is long and storied. Over two decades ago, she stunned Critics’ Week with Respiro (“Breath”). As a filmmaker, she brought her debut feature Miele (“Honey”) to Un Certain Regard in 2013, followed by Domenica (“Sunday”) in the same section in 2018. Beyond acting and directing, she has taken on key roles at the festival: she served as a juror at the 69th Cannes in 2016, and six years later, she chaired the Un Certain Regard jury—testament to her stature as both an artist and a tastemaker.
Her accolades extend beyond Cannes: she is a two-time Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner, honored for Storia d’amore (“Love Story”) and Per tuo bene (“For Your Own Good”), solidifying her reputation as one of Italy’s most versatile talents.
In Fuori, Martone—known for his rich, historically rooted narratives—centers Sapienza’s voice, and Golino, with her profound understanding of the writer’s work and spirit, is poised to bring the author to life. For audiences, this role is more than a performance; it’s a meeting of two extraordinary Italian artists across time. As Golino steps into Sapienza’s shoes, Fuori emerges as one of the most anticipated films of the competition, a celebration of creativity, legacy, and a career that continues to evolve.
