La Vita è bella

Italy (1997): Comedy/Drama/Romance/War

Italy's rubber-faced funnyman Roberto Benigni accomplishes the impossible in his World War II comedy Life Is Beautiful: he shapes a simultaneously hilarious and haunting comedy out of the tragedy of the Holocaust. An international sensation and the most successful foreign language film in U.S. history, the picture also earned director-cowriter-star Benigni Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor. He plays the Jewish country boy Guido, a madcap romantic in Mussolini's Italy who wins the heart of his sweetheart (Benigni's real-life sweetie, Nicoletta Braschi) and raises a darling son (the adorable Giorgio Cantarini) in the shadow of fascism. When the Nazis ship the men off to a concentration camp in the waning days of the war, Guido is determined to shelter his son from the evils around them and convinces him they're in an elaborate contest to win (of all things) a tank. Guido tirelessly maintains the ruse with comic ingenuity, even as the horrors escalate and the camp's population continues to dwindle -- all the more impetus to keep his son safe, secure, and, most of all, hidden. Benigni walks a fine line mining comedy from tragedy and his efforts are pure fantasy -- he accomplishes feats no man could realistically pull off -- both of which have drawn fire from a few critics. Yet for all its wacky humor and inventive gags, Life Is Beautiful is a moving and poignant tale of one father's sacrifice to save not just his young son's life but his innocence in the face of one of the most evil acts ever perpetrated by the human race. (Amazon.com)

· Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1998: Roberto Benigni
· Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score) 1998: Nicola Piovani
· Best Foreign Language Film of the Year 1998: (Italy) (Elda Ferri and Gianluigi Braschi, producers)

· Best Picture of the Year 1998: Elda Ferri and Gianluigi Braschi - Producers (Melampo Cinematografica s.r.l., Miramax)
· Achievement in Directing 1998: Roberto Benigni
· Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen 1998: Vincenzo Cerami and Roberto Benigni
· Achievement in Film Editing 1998: Simona Paggi