Here's how Tik Tok Awards 2025 went When everyday life becomes the real show

Last night TikTok Italia once again shone the spotlight on what has always set it apart from every other platform: the ability to turn everyday normality into something extraordinary. During an exclusive event streamed live from the @tiktok_it and @tiktoklive_it profiles (and watched by around 40,000 people simultaneously), the winners of the second Italian edition of the TikTok Awards were announced – an award written entirely by the community itself, with more than 2.6 million votes cast directly in the app. Ten categories, sixty finalists, one single common thread: authenticity. No excessive filters, no Hollywood production, just real stories told with the immediate and sincere language that works on TikTok.

The coveted title of Creator of the Year went to Nonna Silvi (@nonnasilviofficial), the Bergamasque grandmother who cooks polenta and tortelli with the same energy she uses to talk about life, work and the future. Her grandson is always behind the camera, but in front of the lens stands a woman who has never stopped believing in young people and who has turned tradition into a modern tale of strength and continuity. In the Film & TV category, Chiara Giovannini (@chiarigiovannini) took the virtual stage, bringing millions of users onto red carpets, into cinemas and behind the scenes of the most beloved series, building a distinctive and hugely popular style in record time.

The sports world crowned Ilaria Limelli (@ila_limelli), who invented her own unique way of covering derbies and matches: touchline, locker rooms, raw emotions, always with a rhythm that keeps thousands of fans glued to the screen. Chiara Facchetti (@chiarafacchetti) won Storyteller of the Year by turning everyday big and small absurdities (from irrational fears to the pain au chocolat at the Saint-Vincent motorway service station) into genuine theatrical acts that make people laugh and cry at the same time. In the Education category, victory went to Solange Fugger (@minerva.salute), Italy’s youngest head physician, who shows the reality of hospital wards with exhausting shifts, teaching, research and science communication, all delivered with her face always front and centre and a heart that reaches the community directly.

Kiné Ndoye (@kine__ndoye) won Voice for Change by using cooking as a bridge between different cultures: every recipe is a story of integration, memory and identity that always leaves a positive message. The Food Creator of the Year award, presented by Lidl, went to the couple 2foodfitlovers (Raffaele Del Piano and Caterina Piccirilli, @2foodfitlovers), who blend healthy recipes, everyday irony and couple sketches, making even a simple pistachio cream irresistible. Alessandro Maritato (@looktotalbrand) took home Fashion & Beauty Creator by showing not only perfect looks but all the hard work behind them: trips, collaborations, running the shop, the real effort that makes every outfit believable. Video of the Year went to 2men1kitchen (Alessandro Granatelli and Pau Nicolò) for Steve’s Lava Chicken: a dish born inside Minecraft and turned viral in real life thanks to a spectacular preparation that looks like a special effect. Finally, LIVE Creator of the Year is Arnaldo Mangini (@arnaldomangini), a long-standing presence on the platform who, with his little magic tricks in live streams, continues to bring generations and cultures together in one collective smile.

As Salvatore Di Mari, Head of Operations TikTok Italia & Spain, summed up the evening perfectly: «On TikTok the winners are those who bring their everyday life exactly as it is: imperfect, simple, true. Tonight’s creators prove that when you truly speak the language of our community understands, attention is not requested, it is earned». Once again, the night reminded everyone that on TikTok the real star is not the show, but life itself when it is told without pretence.