Italy has produced some of the most beloved films ever made.
Emotional, beautiful, and sometimes heartbreaking — Italian cinema captures the full range of human experience.
Here are 10 Italian films that will stay with you forever.
1. Life Is Beautiful (1997) 8.4
Genre: Comedy, Drama · Director: Roberto Benigni · Cast: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini
A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a c
2. Ennio (2022) 8.3
Genre: Documentary, Music, History · Director: Giuseppe Tornatore · Cast: Ennio Morricone, Silvano Agosti, Alessandro Alessandroni
A portrait of Ennio Morricone, the most popular and prolific film composer of the 20th century, the one most loved by the international public, a two-time Oscar winner and the author of over five hund
3. The Legend of 1900 (1998) 8.2
Genre: Drama, Music · Director: Giuseppe Tornatore · Cast: Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Mélanie Thierry
Musician Max Tooney goes to sell his prized Conn trumpet to a music shop, where he plays the instrument one last time. The shopkeeper recognises the song as one on a record matrix he found and asks wh
4. “The Shorts” by Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo (1996) 8.1
Genre: Comedy · Director: Arturo Brachetti · Cast: Aldo Baglio, Giacomo Poretti, Giovanni Storti
I Corti (“Shorts”) by Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo was the first stage show of the comedy trio, with the participation of Marina Massironi. It was recorded live at the Teatro Nuovo in Ferrara on 28 and 29
5. There’s Still Tomorrow (2023) 8.1
Genre: Drama, Comedy, History · Director: Paola Cortellesi · Cast: Paola Cortellesi, Valerio Mastandrea, Romana Maggiora Vergano
In postwar Rome, a working-class woman dreams of a better future for herself and her daughter while facing abuse at the hands of her domineering husband. When a mysterious letter arrives, she discover
6. Me Against You: Mr. S’s Vendetta (2020) 8.1
Genre: Family, Fantasy · Director: Gianluca Leuzzi · Cast: Sofia Scalia, Luigi Calagna, Antonella Carone
A young couple who makes popular YouTube videos for children sets out to win an award, but an evil mastermind stands in the way of their success.
7. Toto Who Lived Twice (1998) 8.0
Genre: Drama, Comedy · Director: Daniele Ciprì · Cast: Salvatore Gattuso, Marcello Miranda, Carlo Giordano
The film has three stories. First is about local village idiot Paletta, who can not afford the services of a whore and so steals a locket from a holy shrine belonging to local mafia don. Second shows
8. The Best of Youth (2003) 8.0
Genre: Drama, History, Romance · Director: Marco Tullio Giordana · Cast: Luigi Lo Cascio, Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti
After a fateful encounter in the summer of 1966, the lifepaths of two brothers from a middle-class Roman family diverge, intersecting with some of the most significant events of postwar Italian histor
9. On My Skin (2018) 8.0
Genre: Drama · Director: Alessio Cremonini · Cast: Alessandro Borghi, Max Tortora, Jasmine Trinca
The incredible true story behind the most controversial Italian court cases in recent years. Stefano Cucchi was arrested for a minor crime and mysteriously found dead during his detention. In one week
10. The Art of Happiness (2013) 8.0
Genre: Animation, Drama · Director: Alessandro Rak · Cast: Leandro Amato, Nando Paone, Renato Carpentieri
Sergio driving a taxi in a white Naples overflowing sadness and garbage. Pouring rain leads her clients through the city trying to process the death of his brother, who started ten years earlier for T
Italian cinema is a gift to the world — beautiful, passionate, and unforgettable. These 10 films are essential viewing for every movie lover.