McKim Medal Gala

Panoramica

The American Academy in Rome held its 2025 McKim Medal Gala on Wednesday, June 4.

The 2025 McKim Medal Gala is chaired by Beatrice Bulgari, producer, collector and patron of the arts. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the event which directly supports the Academy’s mission of bringing together groundbreaking artists and scholars to learn, work, and create as part of a community in Rome. The McKim Medal recognizes individuals who have contributed to multidisciplinary dialogue between the arts, humanities, and sciences whose vision and excellence in their fields have made global impacts.

The 2025 honorees are visionaries Virgilio Sacchini and Giuseppe Tornatore.

Virgilio Sacchini, surgeon, oncologist, and renowned researcher, has contributed to numerous clinical studies on breast cancer therapy and chemoprevention over the past twenty years, some of which were conducted in multiple centers across Europe and coordinated by the EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer). He is currently involved in clinical studies conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering and nationally in the US in the NSABP and RTOG groups. These studies have had a significant impact on the development of innovative treatments for breast cancer.

Giuseppe Tornatore, acclaimed film director and screenwriter of canonical films including Il camorrista (1986), Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988), Stanno tutti bene (1990), Il cane blu (1991), Una pura formalità (1994), L’uomo delle stelle (1995), Lo schermo a tre punte (1995), La leggenda del pianista sull’oceano (1998), Malèna (2000), La sconosciuta (2006), Baarìa (2009), L’ultimo gattopardo (2010), La migliore offerta (2013), La corrispondenza (2016), and Ennio (2021). Throughout his career Tornatore has worked with leading talent, including Philippe Noiret, Tim Roth, Monica Bellucci, Margherita Buy, and Donald Sutherland.

The McKim Medal was designed by Cy Twombly and crafted by BVLGARI.

One of the highest-profile cultural events of the social calendar in Rome, the annual McKim Medal Gala honors individuals whose work internationally, most particularly in Italy and in the United States, has contributed significantly to the arts and humanities, and whose life exemplifies creative and intellectual exchange across the arts, scholarship, language, and culture.

Proceeds from the evening support Academy programs and American, Italian, and international artists and scholars, providing them with important opportunities to pursue their individual studies, to participate in and contribute to international discourse in their fields and disciplines, and to gain experience that will be invaluable throughout their careers.

Gala 2025

June 4, 2025
7:30pm
Villa Aurelia
Largo di Porta San Pancrazio, 1
00153 Rome

Gala Chair

Beatrice Bulgari

Honorary Gala Chairs

Ginevra Elkann
Margherita Marenghi Vaselli
Carla Markell
Maria Teresa Venturini Fendi

Founding Gala Chair

Verdella Caracciolo De Benedictis

Gala Committee

Alessia Antinori
Ludovica Amati
Mercedes T. Bass
Donella Bossi Pucci
Laura Cibrario Franzan
Inga Clausing
Noemia d’Amico
Eugenia d’Aurelio
Delfina Delettrez Fendi
Elena Di Giovanni
Andrea Donzelli
Cole Frates and Alexandra De La Mora
Paola Gaetani d’Aragona
Francesco Gianni
Valeria Giuliani
Eugenio Grippo
Pepi Marchetti Franchi
Alessia Margiotta Broglio
Alexandra Massimo di Roccasecca
Antonio Monfreda
Martine Orsini
Diamara Parodi Delfino
Mirella Petteni Haggiag
Diana Picasso
Ines Torlonia Theodoli Clarke
Paola Ugolini
Virginia Valsecchi
Osanna Visconti di Modrone
Mafalda von Hessen
Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis

Corporate Lead Sponsor

Corporate Patrons

Lottomatica Group

Corporate Supporters

Assicurazioni Generali
Bloomberg
Carla Fendi Foundation
Chiomenti
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP
Edizione SpA
Fendi
Fincantieri SpA
Fondazione Iris
Gagosian
Gianni & Origoni
Giorgio Armani
Jefferies
Ralph Lauren
The Social Hub
Valentino SpA

Wine for the evening will be provided by Paolo e Noemia d’Amico Wines and Château d’Esclans Whispering Angel Côtes de Provence Rosé, and cocktails by Quattro Gatti Gin.