Following is a bonus list of movies we recommend.

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Michelangelo Antonioni is one of the great masters of Italian cinema. Among his most famous films are: "Blow up", "Zabrinskie point" and "L'avventura" (The adventure). In "L'avventura", Antonioni represents the search of meaning in the relationship between a man and a woman. The black and white, the nature, the voyage through Italy... are just some of the most beautiful elements of this movie, which is a 'classic' of Italian cinema. Monica Vitti, the main character, is one of the best Italian actresses.

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Pupi Avati is a very refined director. Among his most successful films are: "Regalo di Natale", "La storia di ragazzi e ragazze (The story of boys and girls)" (degli anni 80) e "Dichiarazione d'amore" (1994). In "The story of boys and girls" you will find the atmosphere of the Bolognese countryside, big families and celebrations. All Pupi Avati movies show emotions in a delicate yet powerful way. Enjoy the vision!

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Roberto Benigni, 'the bad genius' of Italian cinema! Successful actor, director and comedian, irreverent and indecent, he has recently shook our souls (and the movie theatres) with his movie "Life is beautiful." In "Down by law", by Jim Jarmusch, he is one of the main characters: an Italian who ends up in a US jail; a very funny and yet intense comedy! He directs "Johnny Stecchino" where he plays the role of a "mafioso": a very intelligent and funny parody of "mafia." "Il Mostro (The Monster)" is a parody of modern life and mass media. Benigni works truly in the spirit of medieval jesters who criticized the institutions through the power of laughter. You will definitely have fun with Benigni!

Please be advised that some scenes from his movies are for an adult public.

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(important: "Down by law" is in English, with Benigni's parts in Italian subtitled in English.)

Vittorio De Sica is one of the great masters of Italian neorealism. But what exactly is the neorealism? The neorealist cinema was born in Rome during the second world war. It wanted to record and document the reality, the fatigue and the pain of daily life (especially for the poor people.) De Sica gives us a "full immersion" in reality with his movies: "Ladri di biciclette (The bicycle thief)" and " Il giardino dei Finzi-Contini (The garden of the Finzi-Contini)" two classic masterworks of Italian cinema and culture. You will certainly be moved by them!

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Federico Fellini. The "maestro" by definition! A dreamer, 'child', visionary and 'magician', incredible director in organizing his, at times surreal, movies. Among his most successful films are: "The white sheik" a very funny description of a couple spending their honeymoon in the big city: Rome. "La dolce vita" (Sweet life) a reportage of Italian life-style, "paparazzi", actresses and nobility at the beginning of the 60s (the word "paparazzi" was thus born: it was the last name of one of the reporters in the movie.) "La strada" (The road) and "Le notti di Cabiria" (The nights of Cabiria) are movies where the neorealist documentary becomes a tale. "Amarcord" (Bolognese dialect for 'I remember') and "The clowns" are movies where Fellini's dreams and memories become reality. "Ginger and Fred" and "Orchestra rehearsal" are movies about the theatre and the cinema world and "Satyricon" is a "dolce vita" of the ancient Rome! Meet some of the most famous Italian actors (Mastroianni, Giulietta Masina, Alberto Sordi...) and be captured by Fellini's vivid imagery!!!

Please be advised that some scenes from his movies are for an adult public.

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Nanni Moretti is a sarcastic and slightly gruff, independent actor and director, owner of the film production company "Sacher" (in honou r of the chocolate cake that he loves so much!) "Caro diario (Dear diary)" is the journal of a voyage, in three episods, throughout today's Italy. Very funny and, at times, surreal. Enjoy the movie and the voyage!

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Pierpaolo Pasolini, the intellectual, the poet, the journalist, the unconventional: debunking and spiritual at the same time. He loved to represent the common people. In the "Decameron" he reproduces some of the funniest and irriverent medieval tales from the masterwork of Giovanni Boccaccio (1313 - 1375.) In "Mamma Roma" he shows us a touching and human aspect of a certain Italian society usually disregarded by the 'official culture' (from movies to mass-media.) The performance of Anna Magnani, one of the greatest Italian actresses, is terrific.

Please be advised that some scenes from his movies are for an adult public.

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Roberto Rossellini, the other great master of Italian neorealism, together with Vittorio De Sica. Rossellini writes the movie "Roma città aperta (Open city)" during the war and he starts shooting in 1945-46, among countless difficulties (there was not electricity.) 'Open cities' were named those cities of 'spiritual, artistic and universal value for humanity': in case of war, they should not have been bombed (Roma was bombed anyhow!) The movie is based on a true story (the sacrifice of Don Luigi Morosini, an antifascist priest) and it is now a classic in the history of cinema. "Paisa'", a six episods movie, is another masterwork of neorealism. Don't miss these two classics!

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Gabriele Salvatores, is the director of 'the Italian road-movies'! In fact, in many of his movies we find the subject of the 'voyage' , either physical ("Marrakesh Express", "Turnè", "Mediterraneo") or mental ("Sud", "Nirvana".) "Mediterraneo", Oscar winner in 1991, reached the greatest success: you will be spellbound by the sunny, relaxed and cozy atmosphere of the mediterranean islands. Enjoy the movie and "have a good trip!"

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Giorgio Strehler is one of the most renowned stage directors; in this representation he works with Riccardo Muti, the conductor, another 'sacred monster' of Italian musica! Have fun with "Don Giovanni" and remember that the words of this opera were written by Lorenzo Da Ponte, Mozart's favourite librettist and first teacher of Italian in New York in 1806.

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Better known as the Taviani brothers, Paolo and Vittorio have directed together several successful movies. Among those are: "Padre e padrone" (Father and master), "Kaos" and "La notte delle stelle cadenti" (The night of the shooting stars.) "Padre e padrone" is the tale of a child who manages to become independent from his domineering father. "The night of the shooting stars" is another movie about world war second: it contrasts with the orrors of the war for its poetry and the feeling of hope.

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Giuseppe Tornatore contributed, together with other directors, to the success of Italian cinema abroad. He won the Oscar (1989) with ""Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (New Cinema Paradiso)", a very funny and intense movie about movies, Italian life in a small Sicilian village and the coming of the modern era. You will love it!

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Massimo Troisi is a terrific comedian, actor and director, defined by someone as the 'heir of Eduardo' (Eduardo De Filippo, the legendary Neapolitan actor, director and screenplayer.) "Il postino (The postman)", directed by Michael Radford, is probably the movie that best expressed the character of Troisi and gave him international success in 1994. Very poetic and vivid. Unluckily, Troisi died before the movie production ended and could not enjoy its amazing outcome.

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Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott are American directors who gave us a delightful Italian movie, very poetic and funny: "Big night." In the movie there are very few dialogues in Italian; however some Italian cultural aspects that the movie shows are not easily found in scholastic books! Enjoy it and "Buon Appetito!"

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Following is a bonus list of movies we recommend.

IMPORTANT: check the DVD region OTHERWISE if it does not match YOUR region the dvd will not work for you.