Andrea Segre (born 1976) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and producer known primarily for his work in documentary cinema. He was born in Dolo, a town in the province of Venice, Italy. Segre studied film and media at the University of Bologna, where he earned a degree in audiovisual communication.
Segre began his career directing short documentaries and experimental films before moving into feature-length documentary projects. His first widely recognized documentary, Mare chiuso (2010), examines the humanitarian and political dimensions of Mediterranean migration, focusing on the experiences of migrants rescued by a volunteer rescue ship. The film received critical acclaim and was screened at several international film festivals, including the Venice International Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
Following the success of Mare chiuso, Segre continued to explore social and political themes through cinema. Notable subsequent works include:
- La prima notte (2010), a documentary that follows the daily life of a young immigrant family in Italy.
- Il silenzio dell’onda (2015), which documents the lives of fishermen in the Adriatic Sea amid environmental and economic challenges.
- Mare di mezzo (2021), a feature-length documentary that revisits the Mediterranean migration crisis a decade after Mare chiuso, incorporating new testimonies and updated contextual analysis.
Segre’s films are characterized by a journalistic approach that blends observational footage with personal narratives, aiming to give voice to marginalized communities. His work has been recognized with several awards and nominations, including the Special Jury Prize at the 2010 Venice Film Festival for Mare chiuso and a nomination for Best Documentary at the European Film Awards.
In addition to his directing activities, Andrea Segre has contributed to film education as a lecturer and workshop facilitator at various Italian universities and cultural institutions. He is also a co-founder of the production company Poc (Production of Cinema), which supports independent documentary projects in Italy and across Europe.