The Best of Youth (2003)
"La meglio gioventù" (original title)

An Italian epic that follows the lives of two brothers, from the 1960s to the 2000s.

Director:

Marco Tullio Giordana

Writers:

Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli

Stars:

Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti

24 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Luigi Lo Cascio	...	Nicola Carati
Alessio Boni	...	Matteo Carati
Adriana Asti	...	Adriana Carati
Sonia Bergamasco	...	Giulia Monfalco
Fabrizio Gifuni	...	Carlo Tommasi
Maya Sansa	...	Mirella Utano
Valentina Carnelutti	...	Francesca Carati
Jasmine Trinca	...	Giorgia
Andrea Tidona	...	Angelo Carati
Lidia Vitale	...	Giovanna Carati
Claudio Gioè	...	Vitale Micavi
Paolo Bonanni	...	Luigino
Mario Schiano	...	Medicine Professor
Giovanni Scifoni	...	Berto
Michele Melega	...	Literature Professor

Storyline

Nicola and Matteo Carati are two brothers of Rome, who live the years from 1966 to 2000 and all the events which have signed this period. They begin their adventure, helping Giorgia, a young girl confined in an asylum. Then, after the flood of Florence, Nicola meets Giulia a talented piano player with a dangerous sympathy for the BR. Matteo, a rebel spirit entered in the police, will find the optimistic photographer Mirella. These four characters and many others will cross the years of terrorism and Tangentopoli.

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Plot Keywords:

police | 1960s | photographer | flood | politics | 

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Taglines:

The possibilities were endless...

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

22 June 2003 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Best of Youth

Filming Locations:

Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,490 (USA) (4 March 2005)

Gross:

$254,224 (USA) (1 July 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BiBi Film, Rai Cinemafiction

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min 366 min 383 min 358 min 366 min (theatrical) 383 min (2 parts)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally developed as a miniseries for television. It was then released in cinemas in June 2003 as two three-hour films after the uncut six-hour version had been screened to great acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival. Because of the films's success, it was eventually shown on Italian TV as originally intended, in 4 parts, in November 2003.

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Goofs

In the scene where Mirella is driving the boat out of Sicily, the bottom of another white boat can be seen when the camera focuses on Andrea.

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Quotes

Sicilian Commissario: What were you looking for, joining the Police?
Matteo Carati: I wanted some rules.
Sicilian Commissario: And what do you do, with these rules?
Matteo Carati: I apply them

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Connections

References Stromboli (1950)

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Soundtracks

"Aria"
from "Aquilarco"
Written by Giovanni Sollima
Courtesy of Casa Musicale Sonzogno, Milan, Italy

User Reviews

A treasure - 6 moving hours of forgetting yourself

Having just returned at 2 am from a festival showing of the movie that started at 5:30, I still can think of nothing but looking for anything and everything about this exceptional film that I came across more or less by accident. I can only sum up two points: it is an excellent yet easy-going overview of recent Italian history, and a truly moving, in an unbanal and unstereotypical, unpopcorny way, movie about the value of friendship, closeness, family. This film makes you want to live, to cherish the people you love and to be aware of the consequences of your acts. City living makes sour cynics out of teenage optimists (I'd count myself in until now), and this one is a lesson of keeping the best of yourself throughout life. A true inspiration! Bravo.