Gabriele Mainetti: ‘The Forbidden City’ and ‘They Call Me Jeeg’ Q&A

Gabriele Mainetti is a director, actor, composer, and film producer. He is known for his short films Basette and Tiger Boy, the latter winning the Silver Ribbon for Best Short Film in 2013 and being shortlisted for Best Live Action Short Film at the 86th Academy Awards. In 2015, he directed his debut feature, They Call Me Jeeg, produced by his company Goon Films, which won seven David di Donatello Awards, two Silver Ribbons, four Ciak d’Oro Awards, and the Italian Golden Globe. He directed and coproduced his second feature Freaks Out with Goon Films, Lucky, Red, and Rai Cinema, winning six David di Donatello Awards and three Silver Ribbons in 2022. In 2023, he directed The Forbidden City, produced by Wildside, Goon Films, and Piper Film. Released in 2025, the film won Best Director at both the Nastro d’Argento and the Globo d’Oro. Internationally, it received the Grand Prix Nouveau Genre and the Prix du Public at the Étrange Festival in Paris, and the Bronze Award – Best International Feature at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal.