La grande bellezza (The great beauty in the english version) is a 2013 Italian film co-written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. The film opens with a quote from Céline’s Journey to the End of the Night: “To travel is very useful, it makes the imagination work, the rest is just delusion and pain. Our journey is entirely imaginary, which is its strength.” The main character is an aging socialite, Jep Gambardella, who once wrote a famous novel in his twenties, only to retire into a comfortable life writing cultural columns and throwing parties in Rome. After his 65th birthday party, he walks through the ruins and city streets, encountering the various characters, reflecting on his life, his first love, and sense of unfulfillment. It premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it was screened in competition for the Palme d’Or. It was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and at the 2013 Reykjavik European Film Festival. The film won Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, as well as the Golden Globe and theBAFTA award in the same category. With a production budget of €9.2 million, the film has so far grossed over $24 million worldwide.
