La dolce vita, or "the sweet life" – popularised by Federico Fellini's eponymous 1960 film – is the single phrase that sold Italy as a rainbow-coloured land where dreams are made. It's an ephemeral term that immediately evokes an unmistakable aesthetic: neon-orange Aperol Spritzes, Vespa scooters, cappuccinos in the piazza, Mediterranean expanses o...

Netflix's latest comedy offering, Made in Italy, invites audiences on a delightful journey through the picturesque landscapes of Italy, intertwined with heartwarming humor and touching moments of love and redemption. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Tuscan countryside, Made in Italy follows the story of Jack (played by Liam Neeson), a Londo...

The world seems more upside-down than usual. War in the Middle East and Ukraine engulfs our senses. In the United States, both political parties always appear on edge while the country struggles to find its international role, and our foes keep a watchful eye. These troubling times require an immediate escape and a semblance of order. In my pursuit...

Nearly 50 years ago, actor Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa was a down-on-his-luck club fighter who worked as a seedy collector on the docks. After six films and a Creed spin-off franchise, featuring three of its own installments, fans forget that the Italian Stallion originally served as a muscle-bound collector to the disreputable but likable To...

Studio 5 at Cinecittà is firing on all cylinders. In its day, it was Federico Fellini’s favorite, in which he filmed La Dolce Vita, Amarcord and Eight and a Half. The director’s association with the studio was so strong that a funeral chapel was built on the lot for his memorial service in 1993. This summer, a filmmaker of a different nature, Rolan...

Netflix unveiled a new lineup of Italian fiction series and feature films at the streamer’s “See What’s Next” event in Rome. Alongside previously announced shows and returning series, the upcoming slate includes two new feature films and a pair of drama series. The new films are Il treno dei bambini (The Children’s Train) from director Cristina Com...

The world of period drama is steadily getting bigger. Not only are we (finally!) getting more stories focused on British periods outside of the Regency (Mary & George, Monstrous Beauty), lavish foreign dramas are rapidly picking up the slack when it comes to historical dramas set outside the United Kingdom. From German series like The Empress to Da...

Shooting has kicked off in Rome on limited series “The Leopard” based on the classic Sicily-set novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa that marks Netflix’s most ambitious Italian original to date. Production on the lavish period piece will take place in the Sicilian cities of Palermo, Syracuse, Catania as well as the Italian capital over the next fo...

Italy is one of the most special countries to experience romance, with passionate people, delicious food, architectural wonder, a seductive language and an appreciation for art. This place has all the ingredients for great love stories. Movies and television have leveraged these virtues to create great romance narratives that melt hearts around the...

Matteo Berrettini’s high-powered game has taken him as high as No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings as well as to a Wimbledon final, with the Italian’s fearsome serve and forehand two of the most exhilarating shots in the modern game. Yet Berrettini’s on-court intensity contrasts starkly with his demeanour off court, where he is an easy-going, war...