A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a concentration camp during World War II. While locked up he tries to convince his son that the whole thing is just a game.
Acting
Benigni's Oscar-winning clowning masks devastating precision.
Direction
Split-tone genius: rom-com becomes survival horror.
Score
Nicola Piovani's waltzes haunt long after credits.
Director
Roberto Benigni
Roberto Benigni
Guido
Nicoletta Braschi
Dora
Giorgio Cantarini
Giosué
Giustino Durano
Zio
Sergio Bini Bustric
Ferruccio
Marisa Paredes
Dora's Mother
Horst Buchholz
Doctor Lessing
Lidia Alfonsi
Mrs. Guicciardini
Giuliana Lojodice
School Principal
Amerigo Fontani
Rodolfo
Pietro De Silva
Bartolomeo
Francesco Guzzo
Vittorino
Raffaella Lebboroni
Elena
Claudio Alfonsi
Rodolfo's Friend
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Benigni consulted Holocaust survivors and historians, including Auschwitz survivor Marcello Pezzetti as on-set advisor.
The film sparked fierce debate: some survivors praised its humanity, others called it 'Holocaust as feel-good entertainment'—it won 3 Oscars anyway.
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