Maserati was a sponsor of the Nastri d'Argento 2006, the oldest prize in Italian cinema. The nominees to the prize  arrived arrived in nine Maserati cars at the Auditorium di Santa Cecilia in Rome where the prizegiving ceremony was held on Tuesday evening. Stefania Sandrelli, Carlo Verdone, Michele Placido, Barbora Bobulova and Kim Rossi Stuart are just a few of the Italian stars of the screen who participated in the event. Also in attendance was Gabriella Pescucci, the internationally renown costume designer, and the director Cristina Comencini, nominated for an Oscar for the film "La Bestia nel Cuore".

The Quattroporte, symbol of Italian style and elegance, the refined Coupé and the aggressive GranSport were the models chosen by the top Italian actors and directors for the occasion. A flagship Quattroporte was on display in the entrance to the Auditorium.

Maserati's presence at the Nastri d'Argento 2006 prizegiving ceremony is a sign of continuity and a desire to maintain a 'privileged link' with quality Italian cinema. Maserati and the silver screen have always been closely connected. Since the 1950s, famous actors and directors have been attracted by the class and sporty soul of Trident cars, especially the Spyder models. Models like the 3500 GT Spyder Vignale, the Mistral Spyder and Ghibli Spyder have appeared in numerous films over the years. Actors of the standing of Alberto Sordi, Ugo Tognazzi, Kirk Douglas, Vittorio Gassman, Donald Sutherland, David Niven, Peter Sellers and Alain Delon, to name but a few, have got behind the wheel of a Maserati. Many others, for example Peter Ustinov and Renato Rascel, have actually owned one.
 

This traditional link between Maserati and the world of cinema was continued in 2004 with the production of the blockbuster Charlie's Angels II, the stars of which were Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu. The Maserati Spyder often appeared on screen driven by Robert Patrick.

Models from the current Maserati range can be seen in the most popular US series: The Sopranos and Desperate Housewives. Here Gabrielle Solis, played by the actress, Eva Longoria is the owner of a black Maserati Spyder. Many other movies have featured Maserati cars, including the Biturbo from Rain Man, an orange Merak from Scarface and a Quattroporte III in the films Rocky III and Rocky V. 

The arrival of the flagship Quattroporte brought other opportunities that have consolidated the link between Maserati and the world of cinema. For instance, the elegance of Italian motoring was again fundamental in Sharon Stone choosing the Quattroporte for all her official appearances at the Cannes Film Festival. The design and temperament of the flagship bearing the Trident marque perfectly complemented the personality of the American actress. The Quattroporte was also the choice of Sophia Loren, icon of Italian cinema, when she was awarded the Honorary Citizenship of Pozzuoli last June.

Other film personalities adore Maserati cars for their outright performance. One such person is Alessandro D'Alatri, the Italian director with a passion for racing. Sharing his enthusiasm is the star of the stage, Alessandro Bergonzoni. The pair even competed in some races of the latest two editions of the Trofeo Maserati Europa championship.