(Sept. 24) – An important recognition for Maria Grazia Cucinotta in Canada. The Sicilian actress has received a Star on the Italian Walk of Fame in Toronto. The prestigious award was conferred to her in conjunction with the screening of the film "Il Postino", held at the AMC Cinemas in the capital city of Ontario. The event was organized by the Confederation Sicilian North America Sicilian Confederation (CSNA), in collaboration with the Cultural Association L’Altra Italia, the Contemporary Italian Film Festival and the Ontario Confederation of Sicily. The event was attended by over 300 participants, including representatives of the organizing associations and members of the Italian-Canadian community. At the end of the screening, Maria Grazia Cucinotta has also answered to numerous questions from the audience regarding the masterpiece of Michael Radford, with Massimo Troisi and Philippe Noiret. The Star dedicated to the Sicilian actress follows the one received in 2010 by Giancarlo Giannini, among the first to congratulate Cucinotta for the prestigious award. (red)

ABOUT MARIA GRAZIA CUCINOTTA
Maria Grazia Cucinotta achieved international cinematic success playing the role of Beatrice in the highly acclaimed Italian film "Il Postino", directed by Michael Radford and nominated for the Oscar in 1995 in the category "Best Picture of the Year". Born in the Sicilian town of Messina in 1968, Cucinotta began modeling at the age of sixteen. She shortly turned to acting and secured a role in the Italian television program "Indietro Tutta". Thanks to that show, she attained national recognition with appearances in numerous Italian television commercials. Maria has been featured in several Italian productions including the previously mentioned "Il postino" and "I Laureati, debut movie of renowned director Leonardo Pieraccioni. Right after, Maria captured American audiences playing an assassin in the James Bond film "The World is Not Enough" and with notable guest appearances on "The Simpsons" and HBO's "The Sopranos". Maria continued to broaden her international appeal with a starring role in the international television production Maria Magdalena, and performances in a variety of American films including "A Brooklyn State of Mind", "Just One Night" with Timothy Hutton, and "Picking Up the Pieces" with Woody Allen and Sharon Stone. In 2005 she started her career as producer taking part in the critically acclaimed series of short films entitled "All the Invisible Children", directed by Emir Kustorica, Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and John Woo.