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Benigni's first theatrical success came with Cioni Marip di Gaspare fu Giulia, which was written by Giuseppe Bertolucci. It was the television series of 1970, Televacca by Renzo Arbre that led to his widespread popularity in Italy. Roberto Benigni presented the satirical piece-anthem of the melting body. It turned out to be a scandal and the series had to be suspended due to censorship. Then came his first independent film, Berlinguer ti voglio bene in 1977 which was again, written by Giuseppe Bertolucci. To add to his already prominent popularity, Benigni played the role of a clumsy film critic who spoke of movies he's never watched in Arbore's show L'altra domenica (1978).
As a director his first movie was Tu mi turbi (You upset me) in 1983. He co-starred with actress Nicoletta Braschi, who worked with him in almost all the movies he directed and later became his wife.Again in the year of 1984 he did Non ci resta che piangere (Nothing left to do but cry).Starting from 1986, Benigni featured in three films which were directed by Jim Jarmusch, Down by law, Night on Earth and a series of short films called Coffee and Cigarettes. In his later life he did films like Son of the Pink Panther, La voce della luna, ll piccolo diavolo, Johnny Stecchino and ll Mostreo
Benigni 's best known film is the 1997 tragic comedy, Life is beautiful,written by Cerami. The film depicted the story of an Italian-Jewish man who attempts to protect his son by telling him that the brutal concentration camp and Holocaust was a game that he must carefully pay attention to. This film earned seven Academy Awards Nomination and Benigni himself was accoladed with the Best Actor Award. This was followed by Asterix and Obelix vs Caesar, Pinocchio (2002), I'm a Born Liar, La tigre e la neve (The Tiger and the Show).At present, Benigni is working on the introduction of his one man show-Dante's Inferno to Broadway.
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