Editing Roberto Benigni (section)

===''Life Is Beautiful''===
[[File:Roberto Benigni Nicoletta Braschi.jpg|thumb|Benigni and wife [[Nicoletta Braschi]] at the [[1998 Cannes Film Festival]]]]
Benigni is widely known outside Italy for his 1997 [[tragicomedy]] ''[[Life Is Beautiful]]'' (''La vita è bella''), filmed in [[Arezzo]], also written by Cerami. The film is about an Italian Jewish man who tries to protect his son's innocence during his internment at a [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[concentration camp]], by telling him that [[the Holocaust]] is an elaborate game and he must adhere very carefully to the rules to win. Benigni's father had spent three years in a [[concentration camp]] in [[Bergen-Belsen concentration camp|Bergen-Belsen]],<ref name="brinson">{{cite news|first=Claudia Smith|last=Brinson|title=Live your life with exuberance, and happiness may come|work=[[The State (newspaper)|The State]]|location=Columbia, SC|date=March 23, 1999|page=A10}}</ref> and ''La vita è bella'' is based in part on his father's experiences. Benigni was also inspired by the story of Holocaust survivor [[Rubino Romeo Salmonì]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Squires|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/8631266/Life-Is-Beautiful-Nazi-death-camp-survivor-dies-aged-91.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919004239/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/8631266/Life-Is-Beautiful-Nazi-death-camp-survivor-dies-aged-91.html|archive-date=2012-09-19|title=Life Is Beautiful Nazi death camp survivor dies aged 91|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=11 July 2011|access-date=11 September 2016}}</ref> Although the story and presentation of the film had been discussed during production with different Jewish groups to limit the offence it might cause, the film was attacked by some critics, who accused it of presenting the Holocaust without much suffering, while others argued that a comedy about such a subject was not appropriate. More favourable critics praised Benigni's artistic daring and skill to create a sensitive comedy involving the Holocaust, a challenge that [[Charlie Chaplin]] confessed he would not have taken on with ''[[The Great Dictator]]'' had he been aware of the true horrors occurring in ghettos and concentration camps in Europe at the time.

In 1998, the film was nominated for seven [[Academy Awards]]. At the [[71st Academy Awards|1999 ceremony]], the film was awarded the Oscar for [[Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film|Best Foreign Language Film]] (which Benigni accepted as the film's director), [[Academy Award for Best Music (Scoring)#1990s|Best Original Dramatic Score]] (the score by [[Nicola Piovani]]), and Benigni received the award for [[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] (the first for a male performer in a non-English-speaking role, and only the third overall acting Oscar for non-English-speaking roles).

Overcome with giddy delight after ''Life Is Beautiful'' was announced as the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, Benigni climbed over and then stood on the backs of the seats in front of him and applauded the audience before proceeding to the stage. After winning his Best Actor Oscar later in the evening, he said in his acceptance speech, "This is a terrible mistake because I used up all my English!" To close his speech, Benigni quoted the closing lines of [[Dante Alighieri|Dante]]'s ''[[Divine Comedy]]'' (''Divina Commedia''), referencing "the love that moves the sun and all the stars". At the [[72nd Academy Awards|following year's ceremony]], when he read the nominees for [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] (won by [[Hilary Swank]] for ''[[Boys Don't Cry (1999 film)|Boys Don't Cry]]''), host [[Billy Crystal]] playfully appeared behind him with a large net to restrain Benigni if he got excessive with his antics again.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zD5L-ja8O0|title=Hilary Swank Wins Best Actress: 2000 Oscars|date=26 October 2010|publisher=Oscars|via=[[YouTube]]|access-date=25 January 2021|archive-date=2 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702122401/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zD5L-ja8O0|url-status=live}}</ref>  On a 1999 episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', host [[Ray Romano]] played him in a sketch parodying his giddy behavior at the ceremony.