[5] The film stars child actor Federico Ielapi as the title character, Roberto Benigni as Geppetto,[a] Gigi Proietti as Mangiafuoco, Rocco Papaleo[b] and Massimo Ceccherini as the Cat and the Fox, and Marine Vacth as the adult Fairy with Turquoise Hair.

It received 15 nominations at the 2020 David di Donatello Awards,[13] winning five: Best Sets and Decorations, Best Costumes, Best Makeup, Best Hair Design, and Best Visual Effects.

[16] A poor Italian carpenter named Geppetto decides to build a wooden puppet to tour the country and earn him a living.

Pinocchio begs to return to his father and Mangiafuoco lets him go, choosing to burn another puppet for firewood in his place.

Attracted by the coins, they suggest that Pinocchio should sow them so they will sprout into a tree of money in the Field of Miracles, located in the Land of the Barn Owl.

Pinocchio manages to get exonerated by telling the judge that he committed a crime before, making him guilty, and thus he is released.

He is saved by the Blue Fairy (now a grown adult), who promises to turn him into a real boy if he studies and behaves.

He befriends Lucignolo, a disobedient boy who invites him to the Land of Toys where children can have fun all day long without schools, rules or adults after being taken there by The Coachman.

After a long day in the Land of Toys, Pinocchio wakes up and finds that he and Lucignolo are turning into donkeys.

In the sea, the Fairy summons fishes that nibble away Pinocchio's donkey skin, bringing him back to normal.

Pinocchio once again swims in search for his father and is swallowed by a gigantic ravenous whale-like sea monster.

[3][2][4] In Italy, the film made US$2.9 million in its opening weekend, finishing second behind Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The site's critics consensus reads: "Sticking closely to Carlo Collodi's original story, Matteo Garrone's Pinocchio pulls every string to create a visually stunning film that proves that some tales really are timeless.

"[37] Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 65 out of 100 based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

[38] Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: 'Matteo Garrone's new Pinocchio brings genuine emotion to one of the most ambitious film adaptations to date of Carlo Collodi's 1883 kid classic.

'[39] Eric Kohn of IndieWire gave it a B rating and wrote: "Pinocchio imbues its circumstances with a surprising degree of naturalism, thanks to the filmmaker's careful handling of practical effects that suit the unusual tone.

"[40] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave it 4/5 stars, saying, "Pinocchio is a thoroughly bizarre story; Garrone makes of it a weirdly satisfying spectacle.

"[42] Josefine Algieri of OneRoomwithaView.com wrote: "Pinocchio is still an enjoyable film, boasting an appropriately whimsical score and beautiful production design, and succeeds in creating a fairy tale even among the realism of poverty-stricken rural Italy.