Life Is Beautiful

In a sunny, sun-drenched Tuscany, Guido Orefice, a charming and resourceful Italian book seller, lives life to the fullest, bringing joy and wonder to those around him. Played by the charismatic Roberto Benigni, Guido is a lovable and eccentric Italian who worships his father and views the world as a magical place. On the eve of the Second World War, Guido's eyes land on Dora, his beautiful and charming neighbor, who accepts him for who he is, and the two fall deeply in love. Their whirlwind romance and subsequent marriage to each other, before traveling, and having a son named Giosuè, bring an unbridled sense of happiness into their lives that seems insurmountable. Guido adores his son and creates a fantasy world for him to explore, filled with magic, excitement, and endless possibilities. He invents an idyllic life for his family, inventing fantastical tales of adventure and transformation, whisking Giosuè away to enchanting lands, filled with the promise of boundless wonder and limitless love. In these fantasies, Giosuè often confronts brave pirates, overthrows tyranny, and lives through wondrous encounters. In his imagination, this escapism comes to life – and through his elaborate storytelling, Giosuè thrives, remaining enchanted, believing his dad's stories and deeply encouraged by the illusion. But on the real-life front, a more sinister reality is unfolding. Following their vacation, the circumstances change for the worse, leading Guido and his family into grave danger. Guido's father, having alerted the fascist authorities of his Jewish heritage, sets off a chain reaction, setting in motion an end to their tranquil lifestyle and the loss of their freedom. Tragically, we find them and dozens of other Jewish families at the gates of an Auschwitz concentration camp, and soon, amidst gunfire and desperation, Guido takes a small whim of courageous urgency, deciding the whole ordeal has to be – for the sake of his child's well-being simply – an extraordinary game. While recognizing it for what it actually is, he begins giving his son everything he knows of imagination, his elaborate strategy for both their survival and an effort to give his son hope. Guido manipulates the environment at the concentration camp with such verve and imagination as his wondrous escapades had initially told to his delighted Giosuè back home in Italy. From pretending the entire camp to be a grand and majestic hotel, "Grand Hotel Budapest", an extraordinary adventure his brave "space traveler" son loves as its premise, even an adventure much alike those of bravery and wit, adventure-filled stories our protagonists dreamed up. His game gives his son the understanding that this – be it concentration camp nightmare, or twisted death routine the campers undergo – may just, yes or no, provide both a certain hope – in thinking otherwise – together for a promising future – that life can still triumph over – no less monstrous acts – this, on survival's slender edge or hope. But is Giosuè falling for his dad's invented escape from their reality – even after all this while? This all powerful and protective guise holds on tight – keeps fear in the shadows, from finding it. Doro – Giosuè's mother whose fate stands in the most awful suspense - remains, unfortunately the sole character showing unmistakable unquietness – as only worry can allow – for the two who face the utmost heartache by her demise later in their 'escape' experience amidst the brutal reality imposed on her so gruelingly during their captivship at the camp there. By weaving dreams of innocence into a warped reality, Guido slowly transfers to Giosuè a lesson of life: that even in the darkest places, love, family, imagination, and conviction can be the only compass we have to find a way through. Guido's determination puts a remarkable bond in his relationship with his son, letting them share the same goals – an adventure like their favorite books it is, both in defiance and against desperation. With skill, imagination and fear, these father-son enacts this courageous journey, facing even despair in the most poignant manner - bringing this to a poignant ending only as their way home starts to open up. What still lies ahead but despair? Their walk, once out of Auschwitz grounds, out and in the cold air in the midst of winter, - the true story finally breaks; life unfolds beautifully - in a great distance from the dreadful experiences deep at Auschwitz.