BENIN Roberto (Roberto Benigni)

(genus. October 27, 1952)
"My fate was programmed as a child - says Roberto Benigni. - One night in a dream I was a white horse and gently called me: "Oscar!" I woke up and said with surprise: "But I'm not Oscar, . My name is Robert! "But after a while the horse I dreamed again and repeated:" Oscar! " Oscar! "The next morning I asked our village fortune-teller, . what it means, . but she could not explain anything ",
. The answer came many years later: in the last year, Roberto film "Life is Beautiful" was awarded just three Oscars. And this year, Benigni himself handed the Oscar - already on the Rights of kinometra.
Hearing that it awarded the highest MTV Movie, Benigni jumped from his seat and rushed to the scene ... on the back seat. Accidentally stepping on the head of Steven Spielberg, he stumbled and fell on his knees one of the ladies present, kissed her on both cheeks, jumped into the gangway, made a somersault and finally found himself on the stage
. Actually, something like all of it and waited
. As for the film "Life is beautiful" he was awarded "Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, Benigni struck the crowd, kissing the boots of Martin Scorsese (he handed over the prize). "How could I do otherwise! - He explained later. - After Scorsese - not a man, he was a guest from the higher world. We should thank God for every minute he spent with us ". Then, in the same passionate outburst, Roberto began to kiss all the members of the jury: Sigourney Weaver (standing on tiptoe), Winona Ryder (slightly bending), and other Hollywood beauties. In the hall stood a cheerful noise. "God, - exclaimed Sophia Loren who was there - what will make this an eccentric, if they would give him" Oscar "N"

Or take the case even with the Pope ... John Paul II praised the film as "Life is Beautiful", which organized a special screening at the Vatican for twenty cardinals. When he wanted to personally see the author's. Predictably, that did Benigni at the meeting. Instead of kissing the ring on his hand head of the Catholic Church, as demanded by tradition, Roberto course (!) Kissed him on both cheeks, simply calling for this "daddy". Cardinals from such familiarity almost faint do not fall. Pope also, laughing, led the director to another room, where he talked with him face to face for three hours - three times longer than Bill Clinton!
Roberto was born in the village of Misericordia, which translated from Italian means "mercy". Then, in 1952, it was almost the most poor villages throughout the impoverished Tuscany. Father Roberto - Luigi Benigni for many years wandering on the outskirts in search of odd jobs (the family did not even have a roof over his head). He was not lucky - so bad luck that for nine years before the birth of Roberto, he landed in a concentration camp (at the extreme extent of the Mussolini regime unemployed vagrants often accused of espionage). Upon returning home, Luigi weighed 36 pounds, became man through the sick and maimed, but miraculously kept optimism. Days on end he was gay and cheerful, but at night he was tormented by memories. And then Luigi was taken to teach children the camp, but in order not to frighten them, choosing those episodes that you can tell funny. Little Roberto, as well as his sister, Bruna, Albertina and Anna, to tears laughing at her father's "Bike", not realizing that behind them lies a terrible, tragic reality. Thus, the film "Life Is Beautiful" can be considered autobiographical ... The main character - a young boy - a concentration camp just seems fun game, but not the focus of terror, the kingdom of death.
Roberto boy grew up a frail, undersized, sickly, but very lively and imaginative. The priest, who taught at a local school, considered him a very capable and arranged in the Jesuit school in Florence. It was a great honor for such a poor man, as a young Benigni. Parents could not get enough of: their son to get real education will be a great man ... But the liveliness of nature are not allowed to go to church Roberto path. Once in Florence, the flood, the school building was damaged, and Roberto, seized the opportunity to run away through the hole in the wall. Traveling circus - that's what suits him much more than prosizhivanie his desk ... Few poskitavshis alone, he came across a circus. At the age of 12, Roberto was given his first post in the art: famulus. "Happiest time of my life, - says Roberto. - When you live among the talking horses and trained dogs, involuntarily begin to believe in miracles ". Roberto decided to become a clown, "Prince of the circus", but seeing as you need to work, the idea refused: it is not much different from the tedious cramming school of the Jesuits. In short, Roberto escaped from the circus.

And again he was at home - in Misericordia. What, his native village, take the young talent who do not want anything uchitsyaN! If this village is located in Italy, then of course, poetry - decided Roberto. In Spain, men dragged bullfight, in Germany - beer, well and in Italy, every second - the poet-improviser. Eight years Roberto earned a living by their impromptu - witty octave. He read them with the flat roofs of rural houses, wine barrels ... His fellow villagers and the villagers adored Roberto, but eventually this adoration of him was not enough - and he went to Rome. Because ultimately all roads lead it there.


The road led him to the Roman theater satire - the focus of the Italian bohemia. Of course, the troupe looked at him, rustic rural guy who could not distinguish from Dante Dantes, a few down. "No matter how brilliant an actor you are, but if you have not read Schopenhauer, these snobs will not even notice you" - understood Benigni and sat down to book. The days he spent in rehearsals, and at night he studied the world literature, philosophy and drama. Less than a year, as a young Benigni was not know: he became the erudite Roman.


Removing the film "Life is Beautiful, Benigni was the subject of national pride and everyone's favorite. After receiving an Oscar at home greeted him as if he is not one of Roberto Benigni, and the entire football team just won the world championship. Italy sang and danced a few days. Especially celebrated villagers: our little Roberto became world famous! By the way, . the "small" Roberto: his height 172 cm, . He has a long nose, . rather frail physique - the purest Pinocchio! However, 30 percent of Italians consider him "the ideal partner for a romantic trip" (as the poll showed public opinion), . while on the trip with a handsome Leonardo DiCaprio dream only 20 per cent of the residents of the peninsula,
. And they claim that Benigni chose not only because he odnolyub and never cheated on his wife - actress Nicoletta Braschi. They met in 1983, and since then, Roberto takes her in his every movie and every time Nicoletta gets the role of women, in which the hero falls for Benigni. Eleven films - and each time he falls in love with it differently. So it would be better if all the Italian for romantic travel chosen DiCaprio.
By the way, even with Nicoletta Roberto travels rarely. For the most part they live in Rome at the luxurious 22-room apartment, from time to time navedyvayas in Misericordia. There are living parents and sister of Robert. Mother and father had changed his seventies, sisters - five: Anna teaches children in a rural school, Albertina manages a flower shop, and Bruno is working on weaving factory. "Happy people - says Benigni. - Yes, and I'm happy. "
In short, Roberto loves everything except ... Steven Spielberg. The celebrated author of "Schindler's List" was unhappy with the film Benigni and defiantly left the viewing with the words: "This is a farce - a blatant mockery of the victims of the Holocaust!" Shaken Benigni tried to explain: "Oh no, . just the tragedy I see the eyes of a comedian ..,
. And the name - this is a quotation from the diary of Trotsky. Last record, . made them for a couple of hours before, . as he was hit on the head with ax, . read: "Life is beautiful!" But Spielberg never read Trotsky, . besides, he really did not like, . when someone, . jumping on the backs of chairs, . accident occurs on his head.,
.