Roberto8217;s life turns beautiful

Life is indeed beautiful for Roberto Benigni, especially after the 71st Academy Awards ceremony. His film, Life is Beautiful, netted thre...

Life is indeed beautiful for Roberto Benigni, especially after the 71st Academy Awards ceremony. His film, Life is Beautiful, netted three awards including one honoring the 46-year-old Italian performer as best film actor of 1998, and another as best foreign8217; film of the year. It was only the second time the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences bestowed the top acting prize for a role in a non-English film the first went to Sophia Loren in 1962 for La CiociaraBenigni was visibly thrilled at his fate. 8220;I don8217;t know how to express all my gratitude because my body is in tumult because it8217;s a colossal moment of joy,8221; an ebullient and grinning Benigni said on accepting the best actor prize. Earlier in the ceremony, he climbed over the backs of the seats, at one point grasped the hand of director Steven Spielberg for balance, before rushing to the stage to accept the Oscar for best foreign film.

Life is Beautiful, a project written, directed and produced by Benigni, who played the starringrole, also picked up an Academy award for best original dramatic score. The film is a poignant tale of a man and his son who confront the horrors of the Holocaust in Europe with a daily diet of humour, affection and fantasy. 8220;Those who are not here, they gave their life in order that we could say life is beautiful,8221; Benigni said in a tribute to Holocaust victims as he accepted his award.

Benigni, who speaks strongly accented, broken English, was the star of the show and his antics in accepting the awards were a performance in their own right. 8220;I want to kiss everybody, because you are the measure of the joy. I feel like now really to dive in this ocean of generosity,8221; he said, accepting his first Oscar. Presented with the second, he joked: 8220;This is terrible mistake because I8217;ve used up all my English.8221; 8220;Grazie a l8217;Italia. I owe it to them if I did something good8230; really I don8217;t deserve this, but I hope to win some other Oscars.8221; The energetic comic leads Italy8217;s wave of new comic artists, withhis clownesque gestures and loud bursts of laughter. He is known for his spontaneity. In May, he threw himself at the feet of American director Martin Scorcese in thanks for the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival. Adored by Italian critics who compare him to comic legend Charlie Chaplin, Benigni admits he is a clown and naive, but he is also one of the country8217;s biggest stars. Life is Beautiful is the sixth film he has directed, and his greatest success,taking 28 international prizes since its release in December 1997 in addition to the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes film festival. Benigni has shared the marquee with his wife of 18 years, Nicoletta Braschi, who also played his wife in Life is Beautiful. Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director, Life is Beautiful prompted the Italian weekly L8217;Espresso to proclaim Roberto is beautiful8217;.