La 78th Venice Film Festival he paid homage Roberto Benigni with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. A great recognition for the actor and director awarded by Jane Campion who commented with these words the awarding of the award: “In this difficult moment for directors and for people all over the world, Roberto Benigni is necessary”. Previously he had emphasized the feeling of love that binds Roberto Benigni to his wife nicoletta braschi: “Roberto is a bottle of prosecco that explodes. Nicoletta is his Beatrice, ”said the director.
The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement is awarded within the Venice International Film Festival Venezia. Prizes are awarded to personalities from the world of cinema who have distinguished themselves in this art for the whole of their activity. It was established in 1971 and for the 78th Venice Film Festival Roberto Benigni and actress Jamie Lee Curtis were awarded.
He dedicates it to his wife Nicoletta Braschi
On the opening night of the film festival, Roberto Benigni was to all intents and purposes the absolute protagonist. Taking the stage to receive the award, he immediately declared: “What I feel is a feeling of love. I deserved a kitten, a kitten, but a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, here in Venice, is the best prize you could wish for. When I found out, I took rumba steps, naked though ".
Roberto Benigni then dedicated the award to his wife Nicoletta: “I can only dedicate the Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Nicoletta: it's his. I take my tail, the wings are hers, talent, mystery, charm and femininity. You emanate light, love at first sight, indeed eternal oversight ". On the red carpet he then spoke to reporters explaining that he is still a child, a beginner: "Tiziano started making his best works at the age of 40, so it may be that in thirty years, on the 100th anniversary of the Venice Film Festival give me another Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement for the second part. It would be wonderful to be back here all together ”.
And again on his wife: “That's the feeling. Maybe he says: 'talk about work', but I didn't make it. In such a moment I feel that I have done everything together with Nicoletta and therefore it really belongs to her ”.
An indissoluble bond
Inspirational muse, Nicoletta Braschi has been married to Roberto Benigni since 1991. The two met on the set of “Il piccolo Diavolo” and has always been by his side. Together they gave life to the film "Life is Beautiful", a film that allowed Roberto Benigni to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. They previously starred together in "Johnny Toothpick" and "The Monster". After the international success of “La vita è bella”, they both worked on “Pinocchio” and “The tiger and the snow”, the last two films directed by Roberto Benigni.
Roberto Benigni's words on Mattarella
Withdrawing the recognition, Roberto Benigni turned to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella asking him to remain at the Quirinale even after the expiry of his mandate. “I, the president Sergio Mattarella, would like to kiss and hug him as much as I love him, you don't know the satisfaction of being his contemporary - said Benigni -. President, stay with us again, you must stay a few more years. At least until the next exhibition or the world championships in Qatar, which she wears well ”.
