The First Beautiful Thing

The First Beautiful Thing is a 2010 Italian drama film directed by Paolo Virzì, produced by Medusa Film, Motorino Amaranto and Indiana Production, released in Italy on 15 January 2010. The film stars Micaela Ramazzotti, Valerio Mastandrea, Claudia Pandolfi and Stefania Sandrelli. On 9 November 2010 the film opened at the Cinema Italian style Film Festival in Los Angeles. Plot The film tells the story of the Michelucci family, from the 1970s to the present day: the central character is the stunningly beautiful Anna, the lively, frivolous and sometimes embarrassing mother of Bruno and Valeria. Everything begins in the Summer of 1971, at the annual Summer beauty pageant held at Livorno’s most popular bathing establishment. Anna is unexpectedly crowned “Most Beautiful Mother”, unwittingly stirring the violent jealousy of her husband, a Non-commissioned officer of Carabinieri. From then on, chaos strikes the family and for Anna, Bruno and his sister Valeria, it is the start of an adventure that will only end thirty years later. The whole movie is set when Bruno, a high school teacher who ended up living in Milan after managing to escape from Livorno and his mother, returns to his hometown to be at his mother’s side during her very last days, remembering many of the key episodes of his family life through a long series of flashbacks. Cast Valerio Mastandrea as Bruno Michelucci Micaela Ramazzotti as Anna Nigiotti in Michelucci - 1971-1981 Stefania Sandrelli as Anna Nigiotti in Michelucci - 2008 Claudia Pandolfi as Valeria Michelucci Marco Messeri as Il Nesi Fabrizia Sacchi as Sandra Aurora Frasca as Valeria Michelucci - child Giacomo Bibbiani as Bruno Michelucci - child Giulia Burgalassi as Valeria Michelucci - teenager Francesco Rapalino as Bruno - teenager Sergio Albelli as Mario Michelucci Isabella Cecchi as Zia Leda Nigiotti Emanuele Barresi as Roberto Lenzi Dario Ballantini as Avvocato Cenerini Paolo Ruffini as Cristiano Cenerini Awards and nominations The film was nominated for 18 David di Donatello Awards, and won Best Screenplay (Paolo Virzì, Francesco Bruni, Francesco Piccolo), Best Actress Micaela Ramazzotti Best Actor Valerio Mastandrea. 4 Silver Ribbon, Director of the best film Paolo Virzì, Best screenplay, Best Actress Stefania Sandrelli and Micaela Ramazzotti, Best Costume Gabriella Pescucci. The film was nominated for the European Film Award for Best Director.