Edoardo Ponti

Edoardo Ponti is an Italian director. He is the younger son of renowned actress Sophia Loren and film producer Carlo Ponti Sr. and the brother of conductor Carlo Ponti Jr.

Edoardo Ponti was born in Geneva, Switzerland. He attended Aiglon College in Switzerland, where he graduated in 1990. He then pursued higher education in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Southern California in 1994, graduating magna cum laude. Ponti received his Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing & Production from the School of Cinema and Television in 1998.

In 2002, Ponti debuted with Between Strangers, which he wrote and directed. The film included a cast of prominent actors, including his mother, Sophia Loren, and received five Genie nominations. At the Newport Beach Film Festival and Los Angeles Italian Film Festival, Ponti received several awards.

His other directorial works include the romantic comedy Coming & Going, the Italian-language film Il Turno di Notte lo fanno le stelle, and the short film adaptation Voce umana (Human Voice) of Jean Cocteau’s play The Human Voice, starring Sophia Loren.

Ponti appeared in Aurora, directed by Maurizio Ponzi, for which he was nominated for the Nastro d'Argento, and in Michel Comte's adaptation of Madam Butterfly. He also ventured into theatre, producing and directing Eugène Ionesco's play The Lesson and Nick Bantock’s trilogy Griffin & Sabine.

Additionally, he collaborated with Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner on the opera Requiem for My Friend, earning a platinum record from Warner Bros.

In his book Letters from a Young Father (2018), Ponti delves into poetry, sharing a series of letter poems written to his unborn child during his wife's pregnancy. The collection reflects on the transformative experience of becoming a parent, intertwining fear and love. Through these poems, Ponti offers insights into life's learnings, love, and the art of building a meaningful existence.

Photo credit: X @EdoardoPonti