Life Is Beautiful

Also known as La vita è bella, Roberto Benigni wrote, directed, and starred in this Italian film. It is set in 1939 and is a comedy and drama.¹

Fast Facts

1. Release Date: October 23, 1998¹
2. Director: Roberto Benigni²
3. Screenwriter: Roberto Benigni, Vincenzo Cerami²
4. Producer: Gianluigi Braschi²
5. Distributor: Miramax Films¹
6. MPAA Rating: PG-13 for Holocaust elements¹
7. Run time: 2 hrs. 2 min.¹
8. Won 3 Oscars³
9. Awards: 52 other wins, 27 nominations³
10. Languages: Italian, English, German³
11. Country: Italy²

Plot Summary

Benigni plays Guido, an Italian Jew who wins the love of Dora. They have a son, Giosue, and raise him as World War II progresses. The family is taken to a concentration camp, where Guido uses comedy and imagination to pretend that the concentration camp is just a game to play along with in order to protect Giosue from the reality of the Holocaust.¹

Cast

• Roberto Benigni: Guido Orefice
• Nicoletta Braschi: Dora Orefice
• Giorgio Cantarini: Giosue Orefice

Related Pages on Mahalo

Italy | Roberto Benigni | Holocaust | World War II | Category:Movies | Category:Foreign Language Films | Category:1990s Films

Categories