December 12, 2023 – My recent travels to Italy have me wanting to extend the experience as long as I can. One of my favorite things to do both to get excited about an international trip before it takes place and after to keep the memory alive is to watch foreign films from the country I visit. And with Italian cinema, there is a wealth of amazing movies to choose from. It’s hard to pick favorites from such a long list, but here is a list of some of my favorites to get you in the mood for Italy.
La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty)
Paolo Sorrentino, 2013
Visually captivating and introspective, The Great Beauty delves into the existential journey of an aging writer amidst the grandeur and decadence of contemporary Rome. Named Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards.
Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988
Heartfelt and nostalgic, this beloved movie chronicles the life of a filmmaker through his touching childhood relationship with a projectionist at a small-town movie theater in post-WWII Sicily. Named Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards.
Federico Fellini, 1960
Quintessential Fellini tour-de-force exploring the hedonistic and disillusioned lifestyle of a Roman journalist reflecting on the emptiness of high society and celebrity culture. Received the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Federico Fellini, 1963
Fellini's autobiographical film about a famous movie director, his creative block and the numerous women and entangled love affairs in his life. Named Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards.
Lardi di biciclette (Bicycle Thieves)
Vittorio De Sica, 1948
Poignant film that follows a father and son's desperate search for a stolen bicycle, shedding light on the hardships and resilience of post-World War II working-class life in Rome. Named Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards.
Roma città aperta (Rome, Open City)
Roberto Rossellini, 1945
Rossellini's groundbreaking Cinéma Vérité film that gave birth to the Italian Neorealism film movement. It portrays the struggles of resistance fighters against Nazi occupation during World War II, capturing the sacrifices of ordinary people in a city under siege. Received the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.