eMates eMates 4th Issue May 2017 | Page 51

THE GREAT BEAUTY The Great Beauty, (La grande bellezza, in Italian) is a film by director Paolo Sorrentino that won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 2014, and many more awards worldwide. The beauty of the title refers to the beauty of Rome, where the film is set, and becomes the real protagonist of the movie. The main character , an aging socialite, walks through the ruins and city streets at night, reflecting on his life. The city appears in all its beauty, but showing also some kind of decadence and pointing out the transience of human life. Among the many quotes from the movie, this is one that well expresses the meaning of the movie: We're all on the brink of despair, all we can do is look each other in the face, keep each other company, joke a little. Giada Bonanno 51