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Director: Luchino Visconti

1951, (Italy), 1hr 48 mins

Language: Italian with English subtitles

Presented by: Cinestudio with support from the Cesare Barbieri Endowment for Italian Culture and The Italian Resource Center at Central Connecticut State University.

Post-film discussion presented by Tina Chiappetta-Miller, Associate Professor In-Residence, Italian Literary and Cultural Studies, University of Connecticut

 

Set in postwar Rome, Bellissima follows Maddalena, a devoted working-class mother who becomes determined to secure a film career for her young daughter after a major studio announces a search for a new child actress. Convinced that stardom will provide opportunities she never had, Maddalena throws herself into the competitive audition process, encountering the promises and disappointments of the movie business along the way.

Featuring a remarkable performance by Anna Magnani, Bellissima is both a vivid portrait of a mother’s ambitions and a thoughtful look at the allure of fame. As Maddalena confronts the realities behind the dream factory, the film reveals the tensions between aspiration, dignity, and unconditional love. Combining humor, emotion, and sharp social observation, Visconti’s classic remains one of the defining works of Italian cinema.