Overview
Roberto Benigni
Known For
Sanremo 2023. Tra Palco e realtà
Gianni Morandi tells the story behind the scenes of the...
I magnifici 4 della risata
Alida Valli: In Her Own Words
A complete and never-before-seen portrait of the life of a...
Paolo Conte, Come Away with Me
Documentary follows the life and work of Italian singer and...
Cecchi Gori - Una famiglia italiana
Once Upon a Time: Tonino Delli Colli, Cinematographer
A documentary about Tonino Delli Colli, a man of cinema...
Biography
Roberto Benigni, (born October 27, 1952, Misericordia, Arezzo, Italy), Italian actor and director known for his comedic work, most notably La vita è bella (1997; Life Is Beautiful), for which he won an Academy Award for best actor. Benigni was the son of a poor tenant farmer who had worked in a German forced-labour camp during World War II. The elder Benigni used humour in retelling his experiences, which helped shape his son’s comedic skill. Benigni briefly attended a Jesuit seminary in Florence, and, after a stint as a magician’s assistant, he joined an underground theatre group in the late 1960s.