Born in
Milan, Nichetti graduated in architecture at the
Polytechnic University of Milan. In 1971, after attending a mime course at the
Piccolo Teatro, he became a collaborator of
Bruno Bozzetto at his production company. After playing a major role in Bozzetto's
Allegro non troppo, he made his directorial debut with the
silent comedy film Ratataplan; the film premiered at the
36th Venice International Film Festival to critical acclaim, and was a surprise commercial success, marking Nichetti's breakout. It received international critical acclaim and got Nichetti a
Nastro d'Argento for best original story. and got Nichetti a
Silver Ribbon for
Best Director. In 1998, he was a member of the jury at the
48th Berlin International Film Festival, and the following year he was a member of the jury at the
52nd Cannes Film Festival. Between 2004 and 2010, he was artistic director of the . He has also been active on stage and on television. ==Filmography==