Born in Rome in 1968. He graduated from the Art School in 1986. After working as a camera operator assistant he decided to devote himself full-time to painting. In 1996 he won the Sacher Festival Best Short Film award with the short film Silhouette. The following year he made his first feature film, Land in Between, which was awarded at the Turin Youth Cinema Festival with the Special Jury Prize and Cipputi Prize. In 1998 he shot the documentary Oreste Pipolo, wedding photographer in Naples and in the same year his second feature film, Guests, was awarded the Kodak Award at the Venice Film Festival. The film also obtained the Special Mention at the Angers Film Festival, Best Film at the Valencia Film Festival and the Kodak Award at the Messina Film Festival. His third feature film, Roman Summer, made in 2000, was present in the official selection of the Venice Film Festival, but it was with The Embalmer, in 2002, that he obtained the greatest recognition from critics and the public: it was presented at the 55th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, Quinzane des Realisateurs, then went to win the David di Donatello for Best Screenplay and for Best Supporting Actor, the Nastro d'Argento for Best Editing, the Ciak d'Oro for Best Editing, the Fellini Award for Best Producer, Best Set Design, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay and Best Distribution. It also won the Special Jury Prize at the Pasolini Prize. In 2004 he was in competition at the 54th Berlin Film Festival with the film First Love and won the Silver Bear for Best Soundtrack, as well as Best Soundtrack awards Nastro d'Argento and the David di Donatello. In 2008 he shot Gomorrah, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography at the European Film Awards, before becoming Italian candidate for Best Foreign Film at the 2009 Oscars. In 2008 he also produced Gianni Di Gregorio's Ferragosto Lunch, winner of the Golden Lion for Best First Film at the Venice Film Festival. In 2012 he was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival with the film Reality where he won the Grand Jury Prize. The film also won 3 David di Donatello awards. In 2015 he returned to the Cannes Film Festival with Tale of Tales, then went on to win 7 David di Donatello including the Award for Best Director. Dogman (2018) was also screened at Cannes, winning Best Actor Award, while the canine cast of the film won an alternative Palm Dog award. Pinocchio (2019) brought him two Oscar nominations. Io Capitano (2023), Garrone's latest film, premiered in Venice, winning the Silver Lion for Best Director and eleven other awards, including the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor and the Best Soundtrack Award.