77th Venice Festival
The 77th Venice International Film Festival is under way! In celebration of Italy's (and the world’s!) oldest film festival, we take a look back at Italian films that have won the festival's major awards, from the classics of Neorealism to the present.
Sacro GRA
A tale from Rome's Grande Raccordo Anulare.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 2013
- Director Gianfranco Rosi
- Cast Roberto Giuliani, Franceso De Santis, Paolo Regis, Amelia Regis
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Terraferma
Is the law always right?
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 2011
- Director Emanuele Crialese
- Cast Filippo Pucillo, Donatella Finocchiaro, Beppe Fiorello, Mimmo Cuticchio, Tiziana Lodato, Claudio Santamaria
- Genre Drama
- Available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Kanopy
The Legend of the Holy Drinker
(La leggenda del santo bevitore)
A recently homeless man is loaned 200 francs. While attempting to repay the money, he encounters an assortment of people along the way.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1988
- Director Ermanno Olmi
- Cast Rutger Hauer, Anthony Quayle, Sandrine Dumas, Dominique Pinon, Sophie Segalen, Cécile Paoli
- Genre Drama
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
Sweet Dreams
(Sogni d'oro)
He's a director of fantasy, but what happens when he begins living in his own dream world?
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1981
- Director Nanni Moretti
- Cast Nanni Moretti, Nicola Di Pinto, Laura Morante, Alessandro Haber, Remo Remotti, Piera Degli Esposti
- Genre Comedy
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Battle of Algiers
(La battaglia di Algeri)
The revolt that stirred the world!
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Algeria, Italy • 1966
- Director Gillo Pontecorvo
- Cast Brahim Hadjadj, Jean Martin, Yacef Saadi, Ugo Paletti, Fusia El Kader, Samia Kerbash
- Genre Drama, History, War
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
The Gospel According to Matthew
(Il vangelo secondo Matteo)
A retelling of the story of Christ.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1965
- Director Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Cast Enrique Irazoqui, Margherita Caruso, Susanna Pasolini, Marcello Morante, Mario Socrate, Settimio Di Porto
- Genre History, Drama
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, Freevee, Cineverse, Xumo Play, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Red Desert
(Il deserto rosso)
Her tenuous grip on reality is starting to slip... can a new man save her or will it only get worse?
- Italy, France • 1964
- Director Michelangelo Antonioni
- Cast Monica Vitti, Richard Harris, Carlo Chionetti, Xenia Valderi, Rita Renoir, Lili Rheims
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max
Hands over the City
(Le mani sulla città)
Corruption. Passion. Outrage.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1963
- Director Francesco Rosi
- Cast Rod Steiger, Salvo Randone, Guido Alberti, Marcello Cannavale, Dante Di Pinto, Alberto Conocchia
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel
Family Diary
(Cronaca familiare)
Two brothers from practically different worlds.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1962
- Director Valerio Zurlini
- Cast Marcello Mastroianni, Jacques Perrin, Salvo Randone, Valeria Ciangottini, Sylvie, Marco Guglielmi
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Rocco and His Brothers
(Rocco e i suoi fratelli)
DARING in its realism. STUNNING in its impact. BREATHTAKING in its scope.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1960
- Director Luchino Visconti
- Cast Alain Delon, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot, Katina Paxinou, Alessandra Panaro, Spiros Focás
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, OVID, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
General Della Rovere
(Il generale Della Rovere)
He's only pretending to be a hero... right?
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1959
- Director Roberto Rossellini
- Cast Vittorio De Sica, Hannes Messemer, Vittorio Caprioli, Nando Angelini, Herbert Fischer
- Genre War, Drama
- Available on Google Play Movies, YouTube, Kanopy
Le Notti Bianche
(Le notti bianche)
A lonely city transplant and a sheltered girl begin a tentative romance.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1957
- Director Luchino Visconti
- Cast Maria Schell, Marcello Mastroianni, Jean Marais, Marcella Rovena, Maria Zanoli, Elena Fancera
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, TCM
Le Amiche
(Le amiche)
The powerful impact of class realities.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1955
- Director Michelangelo Antonioni
- Cast Eleonora Rossi Drago, Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi, Valentina Cortese, Yvonne Furneaux, Madeleine Fischer
- Genre Romance, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
La Strada
(La strada)
Gelsoma, a circus performer, endures her husbands coldness and abuse as they travel the Italian countryside performing together.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1954
- Director Federico Fellini
- Cast Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart, Aldo Silvani, Marcella Rovere, Lidia Venturini
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Fandango At Home, Kanopy
Romeo and Juliet
A classic tale of the two star-crossed lovers.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, United Kingdom • 1954
- Director Renato Castellani
- Cast Laurence Harvey, Susan Shentall, Flora Robson, Norman Wooland, Mervyn Johns, John Gielgud
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Amazon Video, Tubi TV
I Vitelloni
(I vitelloni)
Five young men dream of success as they drift lazily through life in a small Italian village.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1953
- Director Federico Fellini
- Cast Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi, Franco Fabrizi, Leopoldo Trieste, Riccardo Fellini, Leonora Ruffo
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Plex Channel