The Great Beauty (Muhteşem Güzellik)

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino from a script he wrote with Umberto Contarello, La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty) is a 2013 Italian-French co-production centering on Jep Gambardella, a writer turning 65 in Rome. Famous since youth for a single acclaimed novel, Jep has never followed it up, settling instead into a comfortable routine of newspaper pieces and the endless parties of Roman high society. Shortly after his birthday, learning that his first love has died pushes him to reflect on his wasted years, and from his terrace overlooking the Colosseum he begins to see the city's grandeur with fresh eyes. Starring Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone and Sabrina Ferilli, the film premiered in competition at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Widely regarded as a modern echo of Fellini's La dolce vita, it won the Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA for best non-English-language film, along with four European Film Awards including best film.