is an Italian film director. He has worked his way from making short films only aired on Italian television to become a well-known and successful American filmmaker. He is the elder brother of actor Silvio Muccino, who often appears in his brother's films. Muccino has directed 12 films and is best known for his first American film The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith. Muccino has been nominated for and won several awards including the David di Donatello Award for Best Director in 2001 for his film The Last Kiss.
Born in Rome, Gabriele Muccino started his studies at Sapienza University of Rome in Italian literature but dropped out of University to pursue a career as a director. His first on-set film experience was as a volunteer director's assistant. This inspired his passion for filmmaking and led him to take courses in screenwriting and enroll in a directing program at Rome's Experimental Cinematography Institute. While there, Muccino created a few short films that were aired on Italian television. He then began directing a number of documentaries.
Following these accomplishments, Muccino was given the opportunity to direct a segment of the Italian anthology film Intolerance (1996). But Forever in My Mind was the next film he directed, starring his younger brother Silvio. Muccino's third feature film, The Last Kiss, directed in 2001, was the breakthrough that brought him international attention. The film's success led to Muccino signing a two-picture deal with Miramax. His success continued to grow with his next film, Remember Me, My Love in 2003.
He has currently made the switch to directing Hollywood films after The Last Kiss won the Audience Award for World Cinema at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival bringing him to the attention of the American film industry. Muccino was personally chosen by Will Smith to serve as the director of The Pursuit of Happyness. Muccino said in an interview afterwards, "Will had to defend me as a choice to the studio; I could barely speak English and could barely express my vision. I felt protected and that I could push my ideas even when they weren't totally conventional. The reason I found respect, and respect for my ideas, was because of Will." Muccino also directed Smith's later film Seven Pounds. Playing for Keeps was his next major work, starring Gerard Butler, Dennis Quaid and Uma Thurman. Muccino's next film Fathers and Daughters also features A-list celebrities such as Amanda Seyfried, Russell Crowe, and Aaron Paul.
One of his latest movies, Summertime, is a coming of age story of two Italian teenagers traveling to the States for the first time during the summer between high school and college.
