Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Kaunis elämä

Original title: La vita è bella
  • 1997
  • K-12
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
711K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
715
18
Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, and Giorgio Cantarini in Kaunis elämä (1997)
Watch Trailer originale italiano [OV]
Play trailer1:33
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaRomance

When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.

  • Director
    • Roberto Benigni
  • Writers
    • Vincenzo Cerami
    • Roberto Benigni
  • Stars
    • Roberto Benigni
    • Nicoletta Braschi
    • Giorgio Cantarini
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.6/10
    711K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    715
    18
    • Director
      • Roberto Benigni
    • Writers
      • Vincenzo Cerami
      • Roberto Benigni
    • Stars
      • Roberto Benigni
      • Nicoletta Braschi
      • Giorgio Cantarini
    • 1.4KUser reviews
    • 138Critic reviews
    • 59Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #27
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 72 wins & 52 nominations total

    Videos2

    Trailer originale italiano [OV]
    Trailer 1:33
    Watch Trailer originale italiano [OV]
    Life is Beautiful
    Trailer 1:27
    Watch Life is Beautiful

    Photos144

    Roberto Benigni in Kaunis elämä (1997)
    Roberto Benigni and Giorgio Cantarini in Kaunis elämä (1997)
    Guido, Dora & Giosue
    Guido, Dora & Giosue
    Roberto Benigni in his Oscar®-winning role as Guido Orefice
    Nicoletta Braschi stars as Dora
    Giorgio Cantarini stars as Giosue
    Guido & Giosue
    Rosanna Arquette at an event for Kaunis elämä (1997)
    Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi at an event for Kaunis elämä (1997)
    Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi at an event for Kaunis elämä (1997)
    Nicoletta Braschi at an event for Kaunis elämä (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Roberto Benigni
    Roberto Benigni
    • Guido
    Nicoletta Braschi
    Nicoletta Braschi
    • Dora
    Giorgio Cantarini
    Giorgio Cantarini
    • Giosué
    Giustino Durano
    • Zio
    Sergio Bini Bustric
    • Ferruccio
    • (as Sergio Bustric)
    Marisa Paredes
    Marisa Paredes
    • Madre di Dora
    Horst Buchholz
    Horst Buchholz
    • Dottor Lessing
    • (as Horst Bucholz)
    Lidia Alfonsi
    Lidia Alfonsi
    • Guicciardini
    • (as Lydia Alfonsi)
    Giuliana Lojodice
    • Direttrice Didattica
    Amerigo Fontani
    Amerigo Fontani
    • Rodolfo
    Pietro De Silva
    • Bartolomeo
    Francesco Guzzo
    • Vittorino
    Raffaella Lebboroni
    • Elena
    Claudio Alfonsi
    • Amico Rodolfo
    Gil Baroni
    • Prefetto
    Massimo Bianchi
    • Uomo della chiave
    Jürgen Bohn
    • Attendente tedesco festa
    • (as Jurgen Bohn)
    Verena Buratti
    • Ausiliaria tedesca
    • Director
      • Roberto Benigni
    • Writers
      • Vincenzo Cerami
      • Roberto Benigni
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Pianisti
    8.5
    Pianisti
    City of God
    8.6
    City of God
    Schindlerin lista
    9.0
    Schindlerin lista
    Vihreä maili
    8.6
    Vihreä maili
    Koskemattomat
    8.5
    Koskemattomat
    Pelastakaa sotamies Ryan
    8.6
    Pelastakaa sotamies Ryan
    Forrest Gump
    8.8
    Forrest Gump
    Uhrilampaat
    8.6
    Uhrilampaat
    Leon
    8.5
    Leon
    Yksi lensi yli käenpesän
    8.7
    Yksi lensi yli käenpesän
    Paluu tulevaisuuteen
    8.5
    Paluu tulevaisuuteen
    Gladiator
    8.5
    Gladiator

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Guido's wife, Dora, is played by Roberto Benigni's real-life wife, Nicoletta Braschi.
    • Goofs
      Dora calls her husband (Roberto Benigni) "Roberto" rather than "Guido" on one occasion.
    • Quotes

      Bartolomeo: They are looking for someone who speaks German, to translate their instructions.

      Guido: Me! I'll do it, I'll translate!

      Bartolomeo: Do you speak German?

      Guido: No.

    • Alternate versions
      The version shown at the Cannes festival in 1998 is slightly different from the original Italian theatrical release: some scenes have been slightly re-edited and a panel has been added at the beginning of the film, showing the phrase "This is a fairy tale", supposedly to avoid controversy over the subject matter.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Godzilla/Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas/Bulworth/The Horse Whisperer (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Marcia Reale
      (1831)

      Written by Giuseppe Gabetti (as G. Gabetti)

      Ed. Casa Musicale Pucci di Portici (Napoli)

    User reviews1.4K

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    The most aptly named movie - A classic
    I have never in my life seen a movie that so truly symbolizes its name and its message. Roberto Benigni - 'The Italian Treasure House' has probably given to his viewers his best. The story, the performances, the entire theme of a person performing his duties as a husband, as a father is very 'moving' and inspiring. 'Life is beautiful' as the name goes is about a Jewish man, who falls in love with a non-Jewish lady, marries her, has a kid and who is then taken as a prisoner in a concentration camp along with his wife and kid. But the way he protects his kid from the horrors of the genocide, how he always tries to find ways to make his wife and kid smile and laugh, is what makes the movie, a MUST SEE.

    It is certainly one of the best movies that I have seen.
    helpful•203
    58
    • gaur-abhi
    • Nov 12, 2005

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ3

    • What is the answer to Dr. Lessing's final riddle?
    • What does the German guard say?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 1998 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • Italy
    • Official sites
      • Miramax
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • Italian
      • German
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kaunis Elämä
    • Filming locations
      • Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Melampo Cinematografica
      • Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $57,563,264
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $118,920
      • Oct 25, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $230,099,013
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 56 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, and Giorgio Cantarini in Kaunis elämä (1997)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of Kaunis elämä (1997) in Mexico?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.