Giovanni Montagnana is an Italian filmmaker and visual artist. His work explores the intersection of documentary and fiction, centered on the concept of "uncovering" and looking as an act of reconstruction.
His debut short film, Heimat, won the 2020/21 edition of Premio Zavattini. After its premiere at Archivio Aperto, Heimat was screened at several festivals and received awards including "Best Italian Cinema Now" at Venice Film Week, "Best Documentary" at the Montecatini International Short Film Festival, and "Best Found Footage Film" at Doc.Berlin. It also won "Best Documentary" at the Tehran International Short Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event.
In 2023, he participated in the MADE IN Audio-Visual Residency Program, supported by Pirelli, where he developed the short film Diva, a fairy tale made with found footage from Cotonificio Legler, in Bergamo.
Giovanni also works as a self-shooting director and filmmaker, producing documentary content for various clients.
FESTIVAL SELECTIONS

(Heimat) Archivio Aperto, 2021
(Heimat) Unarchive Found Footage Fest, 2021
(Heimat) River Film Festival, 2022
(Heimat) Bridge Film Festival, 2022
(Clinica) Imaginaria - Festival Internazionale del cinema d'animazione d'autore, 2022
(Heimat) Venice Film Week, 2022
(Heimat) Montecatini International Short Film Festival, 2022
(Heimat) Analogica 12, 2022
(Heimat) Istanbul International Experimental Film Festival, 2022
(Heimat) Asti International  Film Festival, 2022
(Heimat) Teheran International Short  Film Festival, 2022
(Heimat) Doc. Berlin Documentary Film Festival, 2022
(Heimat) Ghent Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival, 2023
(Heimat) Unarchive Found Footage Fest, 2023
(Nel Bosco si sentono le Voci) Film Festival della Lessinia, 2023
(Lone Wolf) Mototematica - Motorcycle Film Festival, 2023
(Diva) MADE Film Festival, 2023
(Il Cammino) Film Festival della Lessinia, 2025
AWARDS

(Heimat) Premio Zavattini, ed. 2020-21
(Heimat) 2022 Venice Film Week, Best Italian Cinema Now
(Heimat) 2022 Montecatini International Short Film Festival, Best Documentary Film
(Heimat) 2022 Teheran International Short Film Festival, Best Documentary Film
(Heimat) 2022 Doc. Berlin Documentary Film Festival, Best Found Footage Film
(Lone Wolf) 2023 Mototematica - Motorcycle Film Festival, Best Documentary Short Film
RESIDENCIES
MADE IN Audio Visual Residency Program, 2023
EXHIBITIONS
Radici, XXIX Film Festival della Lessinia, 2023
Fronde, XXX Film Festival della Lessinia, 2024
OTHER WORKS
Libertà va cercando, di Alessandro Anderloni(2023), Editor, Color Grading
Velovelodico, di Alessandro Anderloni (2024), Color Grading
Vaio Borago, di Alessandro Anderloni(2025), Cinematography, Color Grading