TEHRAN-The cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran will show Roberto Benigni’s Oscar-winning film “Life Is Beautiful” on August 28.

After the screening of the film at 5 p.m., a review session titled “Thought of Freedom” will be held with the presence of Arash Heydari, who holds a Ph.D. in cultural sociology and is an assistant professor at University of Science and Culture, Mehr reported.

It will be the 550th program of the IAF cinematheque, which is held every Monday and is dedicated to the screening of the famous films from Iran and the world.

"Life Is Beautiful" is a 1997 Italian comedy-drama film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, who co-wrote the film with Vincenzo Cerami. Benigni plays Guido Orefice, a Jewish Italian bookshop owner, who employs his imagination to shield his son from the horrors of internment in a Nazi concentration camp. The film was partially inspired by the book "In the End, I Beat Hitler" by Rubino Romeo Salmoni and by Benigni's father, who spent two years in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during World War II.

The film was an overwhelming critical and commercial success. It received widespread acclaim, with critics praising its story, performances and direction, and the union of drama and comedy.

The movie won the Grand Prix at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, nine David di Donatello Awards (including Best Film), five Nastro d'Argento Awards in Italy, two European Film Awards, and three Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor for Benigni, the first for a male non-English performance.

SS/