Best Italian Films of 2023: From Box-Office Hits to Festival Favorites
The year 2023 marked a significant milestone for Italian cinema, showcasing numerous directorial debuts, particularly from female filmmakers, alongside a blend of box office successes and critically lauded films. The cinematic journey commenced with 'Le otto montagne' (December 2022) and featured popular titles like 'L'ultima notte di Amore' (Berlinale) and 'Mixed by Erry'. Paola Cortellesi's 'C'è ancora domani' emerged as the top-grossing film in Italy for 2023, earning over €30 million. Micaela Ramazzotti's 'Felicità' was commended for its sensitive depiction of mental health issues. Matteo Garrone's 'Io capitano' secured the Silver Lion at Venice, while Marco Bellocchio's 'Rapito' explored the story of Edgardo Mortara. Other noteworthy films included Nanni Moretti's 'Il sol dell’avvenire' and Enrico Maria Artale's 'El paraiso'.
Key facts
- Paola Cortellesi's directorial debut 'C'è ancora domani' grossed over €30 million, becoming the highest-grossing film in Italy in 2023, surpassing 'Barbie'.
- Matteo Garrone's 'Io capitano' won the Silver Lion at the 80th Venice Film Festival and made the Oscar shortlist for Best International Feature.
- Marco Bellocchio's 'Rapito' is based on the true story of Edgardo Mortara, a Jewish boy forcibly converted to Catholicism in 1858.
- Micaela Ramazzotti made her directorial debut with 'Felicità', featuring cinematography by Luca Bigazzi and editing by Jacopo Quadri.
- Nanni Moretti's 'Il sol dell’avvenire' was presented in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival and includes a film-within-a-film set during the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary.
- Emma Dante's 'Misericordia' is adapted from her own theatrical work and had limited theatrical release.
- Roberta Torre's 'Mi fanno male i capelli' explores memory and identity through the films of Monica Vitti.
- Enrico Maria Artale's 'El paraiso' was presented in the Orizzonti section at the Venice Film Festival and has not yet been released in cinemas.
Entities
Artists
- Paolo Cognetti
- Alessandro Borghi
- Luca Marinelli
- Felix Van Groeningen
- Charlotte Vandermeersch
- Andrea Di Stefano
- Sydney Sibilia
- Riccardo Milani
- Gabriele Salvatores
- Marco Bellocchio
- Nanni Moretti
- Pilar Fogliati
- Giuseppe Fiorello
- Micaela Ramazzotti
- Paola Cortellesi
- Margherita Buy
- Michele Riondino
- Alice Rohrwacher
- Giulia Calenda
- Furio Andreotti
- Luca Bigazzi
- Jacopo Quadri
- Matteo Garrone
- Emma Dante
- Roberta Torre
- Monica Vitti
- Federico Fellini
- Pierfrancesco Favino
- Linda Caridi
- Francesco Di Leva
- Enrico Maria Artale
- Edoardo Pesce
- Margherita Bordino
Institutions
- Berlinale
- Venice Film Festival
- Cannes Film Festival
- Artribune
- Orizzonti
- Cinecittà
Locations
- Italy
- Rome
- Calabria
- Africa
- Senegal
- Europe
- Hungary
- Soviet Union