Top 25 Outdoor Movie: Life is Beautiful (La vita E bella)

For our next Top 25 Outdoor Movie, Life is Beautiful (La vita è bella)—a triple-Oscar-winning film—follows an Italian Jewish man with a wonderfully funny spirit who falls in love with the woman of his dreams, only to face the horror of the Holocaust alongside his young son and wife.

It’s Guido’s humor and optimism—played by Roberto Benigni, who also directed—that keeps his son and wife hopeful as they endure a Nazi camp. As Guido works, he invents a game in which his son can earn points toward winning a tank, while really guiding the boy to do the things that keep him safe.

The film is moving on many levels and makes a great outdoor movie—especially for teenage audiences and up. We’ve listed it in our “date night” section for that reason.

Back in 2008, we screened the film at the Bridal Veil Film Festival and got a wonderful turnout from our local community. Life is Beautiful is a favorite of many, and you’ll likely draw a big, appreciative audience if you screen it at your next outdoor movie night.

Life is Beautiful will have you laughing and crying as you experience this phenomenal film. Has anyone else shown it in their community? Tell us your story—we’d love to hear how your audience responded.