Margaret Mazzantini was born in Dublin and lives in Rome with her husband and four children. She made her literary debut in 1994 with Il catino di zinco (The Zinc Basin), followed by Manola (1999) and Non ti muovere (Don’t Move, 2001, Premio Strega, Premio Grinzane Cavour, Premio Città di Bari, European Zepter Prize). Translated into more than 30 languages, in 2004 it became an acclaimed film directed by Sergio Castellitto, starring Penélope Cruz.

After the theatrical monologue Zorro (2002), she published the novels Venuto al mondo (Twice Born, 2008, Premio Campiello 2009), that became a film directed by Castellitto, starring Penélope Cruz and Emile Hirsch (2012), Nessuno si salva da solo (No One Survives Alone, 2011), adapted into a film by Sergio Castellitto starring Riccardo Scamarcio and Jasmine Trinca in 2015, and Mare al mattino (Morning Sea, 2011, Premio Pavese and Premio Matteotti). Her latest novel is Splendore (Splendor, 2013). In 2015 the author received the Career Award Premio Città di Vigevano, in 2022 she was awarded the Premio Hemingway.

Mazzantini is the author of the screenplay of Castellitto’s movie Fortunata (2017) with Jasmine Trinca, who has been awarded for her performance as Best Actress, in the section “Un certain regard”, at Cannes Film Festival.