She filmed the short Un sogno truffato in 1984 with the Lualdi-Interlenghi duo and played the neurotic intellectual woman in Giuseppe Bertolucci's film Segreti, segreti (1986), again starring Alida Valli, and with Rossana Podestà, Lea Massari, Lina Sastri and Stefania Sandrelli.

Her long film debut came with Mignon Has Come to Stay in 1988, a bitter family portrait that examines the first experiences and disappointments of teenage love.

The film won 5 David di Donatello awards: Best New Director, Best Actress (Stefania Sandrelli), Best Supporting Actor (Massimo Dapporto), Best Script and Best Sound.

[2] In 1994 she filmed Con gli occhi chiusi, based on Federico Tozzi's novel, starring Laura Betti, Stefania Sandrelli, Sergio Castellitto and Debora Caprioglio.

She collaborated on Pasolini – Le ragioni di un sogno (2001), and she directed Giovanna Mezzogiorno and Roberto Citran in Flying Lessons (2007).