Gianfranco Rosi was born in Asmara, Eritrea. After attending university in Italy, moves to New York and graduates from the New York University Film School. His first mid-length documentary Boatman won the great success at various international festivals including the Sundance Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Afterward, all of his films won prizes at the famous international film festivals. His documentary Below Sea Level (2008) won the Best Film in the Horizons section of the Venice International Festival. El Sicario – Room 164 (2010) won the Fipresci Award at the Venice Film International Festival. In 2013 he won the Golden Lion at Venice with Sacro GRA (2013). It is the first time a documentary is awarded the Golden Lion. In 2016, Rosi won the Golden Bear for Best Film at the Berlin International Festival with Fire at Sea.