{"id":69145,"date":"2016-07-06T11:08:14","date_gmt":"2016-07-06T15:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-italian-with-movies\/"},"modified":"2025-02-22T02:28:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-22T07:28:42","slug":"learn-italian-with-movies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/learn-italian-with-movies\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn Italian with Movies: The 24 Best Italian Films"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watching movies in Italian<\/a>\u00a0can be\u00a0an incredibly effective way to learn the language.<\/p>\n

Have a look at my top Italian films from a variety of decades and genres. Not only are these excellent, immersive learning materials, but they also shed light on the culture, history and humor of the Italian language and its speakers.<\/p>\n

Of course, tastes vary and there\u2019s no single \u201cbest\u201d way to do anything, and not every film on my list is a cinematic masterpiece\u2014I\u2019ve snuck a few in there that are more for a lark.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc skip=3]
\n<\/p>\n

1. La vita \u00e8 bella <\/em><\/a>(Life Is Beautiful) (1997)\"Life<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director:<\/strong> Roberto Benigni
\nFind it on:<\/b> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

This film won a spate of awards including Best Actor for Roberto Benigni at the 71st\u00a0Academy Awards.<\/p>\n

Set in the 1930s, it\u2019s the story of a father protecting his son from the harsh reality of the Holocaust. Guido Orefice (Benigni), a simple Jewish bookshop owner, and his son are taken to a concentration camp by German officers.<\/p>\n

The movie exhibits the lengths a father goes to protect his son from the inhumanity of it all. It has artfully teased out some Chaplin-esque comedic moments amid misery.<\/p>\n

Language learners will take a lot from the effusive Guido who talks non-stop and grandly gestures his words<\/strong>. You’ll remember the vocabulary and the catchphrases simply because there\u2019s a highly kinesthetic actor flailing about with his hands.<\/p>\n

And, despite being set in the ’30s, the film uses fairly contemporary Italian<\/strong> that you can work comfortably into daily Italian conversations.<\/p>\n

2. Mal\u00e8na<\/em><\/a> (Malena) (2000)\"Malena<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Giuseppe Tornatore
\nFind it on<\/strong>: Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

“Mal\u00e8na”<\/em> is a coming-of-age film set in 1940 Sicily. It tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who perpetually fantasizes about a beautiful school teacher, Mal\u00e8na, whose husband was called to war in Africa.<\/p>\n

The effervescent Monica Bellucci plays the role of a woman who sets gossip afire by simply walking around town and going about her daily chores.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Renato can\u2019t get Mal\u00e8na off his mind and it\u2019s fair warning to viewers that the film gets heated especially when the contents of the boy\u2019s mind are portrayed.<\/p>\n

While Mal\u00e8na barely speaks in this film, you’ll have your fill of period Italian<\/strong> through the lines and the vivid<\/strong>, engaging narrations of the lustful Renato<\/strong>, as well as the jealous town folks.<\/p>\n

3. L\u2019attesa<\/em><\/a> (The Wait) (2015)\"L'Attesa\"<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director:<\/strong> Piero Messina
\nFind it on<\/strong>: Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Piero Messina\u2019s directorial debut tells of a mother\u2019s grief for her dead son.<\/p>\n

When her son\u2019s French girlfriend, who still doesn\u2019t know her boyfriend is dead, shows up at the doorstep of the mother’s Sicilian villa to spend Easter there, things get interesting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The cinematography is beautifully executed\u2014at times screaming, at times subtle. The austere nature of the film makes for controlled and deliberate dialogue, and the pace is often just right for language learners<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And if you need language learning inspiration, take a page from Juliette Binoche, the French actress who plays the mother in this film and learned Italian to perfect her role.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. I cento passi<\/em><\/a> (One Hundred Steps) (2000)\"One<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Marco Tullio Giordana
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI cento passi<\/em>\u201d is the story of Peppino Impastato, who at a time when nobody else was brave enough to even acknowledge the existence of the Mafia, headed a radio program that revealed their criminal activities and abuses.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Impastato was liquidated by the Mafia, in what was originally ruled as a suicide. Twenty years after the event, the case was reopened and a conviction was eventually handed down for murder.<\/p>\n

The movie is peppered with charged language and is a treat for those who want to acquaint themselves with the Sicilian dialect<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In the opening of the movie, you can hear the young Peppino sing \u201cNel blu dipinto di blu<\/em>\u201d (“In the blue that is painted blue”) which you may know as “Volare.”<\/a><\/em>\u00a0It\u2019s a great Italian song that\u2019s worth a study.<\/p>\n

5. Nuovo Cinema Paradiso<\/em><\/a> (Paradise Cinema) (1988)\"Cinema<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director:<\/strong> Giuseppe Tornatore
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Paramount+<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cNuovo Cinema Paradiso\u201d<\/em> is a classic from Tornatore about a man\u2019s journey through life. We see him grow from a boy slipping into the projection booth at the cinema, to working as a projectionist himself, to becoming an acclaimed director.<\/p>\n

The film also tells the story of a love lost. It went on to win an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1989 and continues to be discussed in film circles today, with cinephiles debating over deleted scenes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Language learners will truly appreciate how beautiful the Italian language is. Not only are famous lines from other movies quoted, but the movie itself is also a basket of beautiful prose<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Look especially at the lines of Alfredo<\/strong>, the original movie projector operator who mentored the young protagonist.<\/p>\n

6. Lazzaro felice<\/em><\/a> (Happy as Lazarro) (2018)<\/h2>\n

Director:<\/b> Alice Rohrwacher\"Happy<\/a>
\nFind it on: <\/b>Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

Born into a generation of latter-day sharecroppers on a tobacco plantation called Inviolata<\/em> (Untouched), the teenage Lazzaro has always been happy with his simple, hard-working life.<\/p>\n

Having always lived in isolation in rural Italy, Lazzaro has no idea that his labor\u2014as well as the manual labor of all his family and neighbors\u2014is being illegally extorted by the Marchioness Alfonsina De Luna.<\/p>\n

When Lazzaro becomes friends with De Luna\u2019s son, Tancredi, his whole world changes. He sees the injustice of the sharecropping arrangement and joins Tancredi on a quest for money and justice.<\/p>\n

Beautifully told with both symbolism and gritty reality<\/strong>, \u201cLazzaro felice\u201d <\/em>won \u201cBest Screenplay\u201d at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.<\/p>\n

7. Sotto il sole di Riccione<\/em><\/a> (Under the Riccione Sun) (2020)<\/h2>\n

\"best<\/a>Director: <\/strong>YouNuts
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

A good selection for a night when you just want to relax and give your brain a break<\/strong>, this teen dramedy finds its charm<\/a> more in the acting and presentation than the plot.<\/p>\n

The characters discover each other and dare to find love during a picturesque and dynamic holiday on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.<\/p>\n

Its director, YouNuts, is known primarily for directing video shorts<\/a>; this seems to be the only feature film in YouNuts\u2019 filmography, to date.<\/p>\n

8. Baar\u00eca<\/a><\/em> (Baaria) (2009)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Giuseppe Tornatore
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Amazon<\/a>\"Baaria\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A multi-generational, historical drama, this film from director Giuseppe Tornatore takes us through fifty years of family and community history in Bagheria, Palermo\u2014known locally as “Baar\u00eca.”<\/p>\n

Starting its narrative in the 1930s, the film unrolls more as a series of vignettes than a traditional movie with a cohesive plot.<\/p>\n

It explores family, career, village life, love and politics<\/strong>. There are some particularly graphic images in this film<\/a>, so sensitive viewers should be aware of this issue. Also, some viewers reported difficulty seeing the subtitles.<\/p>\n

9. Spettacolo<\/em><\/a> (2017)\"Spettacolo\"<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n

Directors: <\/strong>Jeff Malmberg, Chris Shellen
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

The name of this documentary means \u201cshow\u201d or \u201cperformance\u201d in Italian. The film tells the story of Monticchiello, a Tuscan town that has spent half a century mounting a play about the lives of its own citizens.<\/p>\n

With breathtaking scenery and scenes straight out of real life<\/strong>, we get to know the people of Monticchiello as they contemplate how their art reflects their reality.<\/p>\n

For more behind-the-scenes information about how this documentary was made, check out the NPR interview with the filmmakers<\/a>.
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

10. La siciliana ribelle<\/em><\/a> (The Sicilian Girl) (2008)\"The<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Marco Amenta
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

The true story of Rita Atria inspired this film about justice and revenge<\/strong> in the Sicilian mafia. Atria, unwittingly born into a Mafia family, sees her father and brother brutally murdered.<\/p>\n

Only a teenager, Rita Atria breaks omert\u00e0<\/em>\u2014the Sicilian Mafia\u2019s code of silence<\/a>\u2014to seek retribution for the slayings of her family members.<\/p>\n

She works with police to find justice and must eventually seek police protection in an attempt to safeguard her own life. While not everyone in Atria\u2019s real-life family<\/a> embraced the film, it was critically acclaimed.<\/p>\n

11. Reality<\/a> (2012)\"Reality<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/b>Matteo Garrone
\nFind it on: <\/b>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

This film is the tale of fictional fishmonger Luciano, a larger-than-life man who dreams of finding fame and fortune on \u201cGrande Fratello,\u201d<\/em> Italy\u2019s answer to \u201cBig Brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luciano deludes himself into believing that he’s being surveilled and evaluated by the show\u2019s producers after his unsuccessful audition. He changes his behavior to present what he believes is the most flattering image of himself, vexing his wife with acts of reckless generosity.<\/p>\n

At turns heartrending and cringe-worthily amusing, this winner of the 2012 Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival explores the thin line between truth and fantasy<\/strong>\u2014and the myriad ways obsession with image over reality can change and damage our lives.<\/p>\n

12. La vita davanti a s\u00e9<\/em><\/a> (The Life Ahead) (2020)\"best<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Edoardo Ponti
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

Screen legend Sophia Loren stars as Madame Rosa, who gives shelter to the children of prostitutes in Bari, Italy.<\/p>\n

Having once been a prostitute herself, after having survived the Holocaust, Madame Rosa extends her compassion to Momo, an orphaned boy of Senegalese parentage who is turning to a life of crime.<\/p>\n

Based on a French-language novel called “La vie devant soi”<\/em><\/strong> (“The Life Before Us”), “La vita davanti a s\u00e9” <\/em>is the third version of this story to be acted out\u2014having been proceeded by Mosh\u00e9 Mizrahi\u2019s “Madame Rosa” in 1977 and Harold Prince\u2019s Broadway musical, “Roza,” in 1987. This 2020 iteration was directed by Loren\u2019s son, Edoardo Ponti.<\/p>\n

13. Oci ciornie<\/em><\/a> (Dark Eyes) (1987)\"Dark<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/b>Nikita Mikhalkov
\nFind it on: <\/b>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

A pastiche of ideas drawn from short stories by Anton Chekhov\u2014most especially, inspired by \u201cThe Lady With the Dog\u201d<\/a>\u2014this film has dialogue in both Italian and Russian<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Romano Patroni, played by celebrated Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, recounts through flashbacks how he fell in love with a dark-eyed Russian lady in the days before World War I.<\/p>\n

The film\u2019s Italian title, “Oci ciornie,”<\/em>\u00a0is a phonetic version of \u041e\u0447\u0438 \u0447\u0451\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0435, which is Russian for \u201cdark eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alas, both Romano and his Russian love interest are married to other people. With elements of both comedy and drama woven into the remembered romance, the film is enjoyed for its top-notch acting as well as its evocative cinematography.<\/p>\n

14. Natale a 5 stelle<\/a><\/em> (Five Star Christmas) (2018)\"best<\/a><\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Marco Risi
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

For a bit of holiday fluff, with shades of \u201cWeekend at Bernie\u2019s,\u201d<\/a> check out this zany farce.<\/p>\n

Italian Prime Minister Franco Rispoli travels to Budapest on official business during the Christmas holiday, only to encounter his mistress, a political adversary and a Santa who\u2019s considerably less-than-jolly.<\/p>\n

While this one may be pure guilty pleasure, you\u2019ll still pick up plenty of political terminologies and essential Italian holiday vocabulary\u2014as well as Italian slang<\/strong> and words and phrases used to talk about romantic relationships<\/a>.<\/p>\n

15. Maraviglioso Boccaccio<\/em><\/a> (Wondrous Boccaccio) (2015)<\/h2>\n

Directors: <\/strong>Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani\"Wondrous
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

To create this visually appealing, historical drama, directing duo the Taviani Brothers<\/a> drew inspiration from \u201cThe Decameron<\/a>,\u201d a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance literature by Giovanni Boccaccio.<\/p>\n

In 14th-century Firenze (Florence), the population is dealing with the ravages of the Bubonic Plague. People of means are escaping the city, fleeing to the Tuscan countryside in the hopes of evading widespread disease.<\/p>\n

While sharing a country estate, a group of young people pass the time by recounting stories to one another<\/strong>. (Remember, this was centuries before smartphones, television or even radio.) These shared stories keep everyone entertained, even as they start to forge connections between the characters.<\/p>\n

16. Tot\u00f2, Peppino e la malafemmina<\/a><\/em> (Toto, Peppino, and the\"Tot\u00f2, Hussy) (1956)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Camillo Mastrocinque
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a>, YouTube<\/a><\/p>\n

This grand, silly classic of Italian cinema from 1956 is known to everyone on the peninsula and quoted all the time<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It concerns three brothers from the Neapolitan countryside. One of them, Lucia, goes to Naples\u00a0to study medicine but falls in love with a dancer and moves with her to Milan. The story follows\u00a0the other two brothers\u2019 misadventures in the big city as they try to \u201csave\u201d their lovelorn sibling from the \u201cbad\u201d girl.<\/p>\n

Its most famous line is from the grammatically flubbed letter that the brothers send to the woman, offering her money for her time (and to go away).<\/p>\n

Their goofy attempt at written Italian starts with\u00a0\u201cSignorina veniamo noi con questa mia addirvi una parola<\/em>\u2026\u201c<\/em>\u00a0(Miss, we come with this letter to say a word to you\u2026). Italians quote this all the time to each other, especially when it seems that someone is attempting to make a too-serious speech.<\/p>\n

17. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo<\/em><\/a> (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) (1966)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Sergio Leone\"The<\/a>
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a> (English version), YouTube<\/a> (Italian version)<\/p>\n

This spaghetti western from 1966 was panned by critics at the time but has since established itself as a classic.<\/p>\n

Note that the words\u00a0in the title were flipped around in the English version\u2014brutto<\/em>\u00a0means ugly and\u00a0cattivo<\/em>\u00a0means bad.<\/p>\n

The film was made with both famous Italian and American actors speaking their own languages, and dubbed versions were thus released in both languages. One learning strategy could be to flip back and forth and watch the scenes in both languages.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The film\u00a0takes place during the Civil War, and concerns three tough guys racing to find gold in a remote cemetery, amid a backdrop of general chaos and violence.<\/p>\n

18. La grande bellezza<\/a> <\/em>(The Great Beauty) (2013)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Paolo Sorrentino\"The
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

This 2013 dramedy is also an Oscar-winner. It focuses on Jep Gambardella, a socialite in Rome who has just turned 65 and finally comes around to taking stock of his life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The extravagance and absurdity of the Roman party scene that have been the\u00a0muse for his columns over the decades no longer seem to hold as much appeal or meaning as they once did.<\/p>\n

This film\u00a0is thus frequently compared to\u00a0\u201cLa Dolce Vita<\/em>,\u201c<\/em>\u00a0speaking of which\u2026<\/p>\n

19. La Dolce Vita<\/a> <\/em>(The Sweet Life) (1960)\"la-dolce-vita-italian-movies\"<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Federico Fellini
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Federico Fellini\u2019s very famous 1960 masterpiece translates \u201cthe sweet life.\u201d Marcello, a tabloid journalist and socialite in Rome, is torn between the party scene and his domestic life with his girlfriend.<\/p>\n

The film is structured into seven \u201cepisodes\u201d along with a prologue, intermission and epilogue. They recount Marcello\u2019s quest for fun, love and happiness<\/strong>. He\u2019s with women and friends, in parties and surrounded by drama\u2014but nothing seems to be quite enough.<\/p>\n

The film won an Oscar for best costumes, and as with many Fellini films, the clothes are outrageous. The\u00a0character of Paparazzo also gave birth to the term paparazzi, which is now applied to tabloid celebrity photographers in languages around the world.<\/p>\n

20. Amarcord<\/a><\/em> (I Remember) (1973)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Federico Fellini\"Amarcord
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

This 1973 Fellini dramedy is somewhat autobiographical, telling the story of growing up in a village in 1930s fascist Italy<\/strong>. The title is in dialect: It means \u201cI remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

The film lampoons village life under the heavy thumb of Mussolini and the Catholic Church, especially the\u00a0fantasies\u00a0and the\u00a0excesses of the weirdo inhabitants.<\/p>\n

The schoolteachers are particularly inept and ridiculous, and thus the children look for ways to escape or amuse themselves. There\u2019s a number of surrealist flights of fancy presented as dream sequences.<\/p>\n

The film came out when Fellini was already well into his storied career, and was met with both immediate and enduring acclaim from critics around the world. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1975.<\/p>\n

21. Roma citt\u00e0 aperta<\/em><\/a> (Rome, Open City) (1954)\"Rome,<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Roberto Rossellini
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

This war drama takes place during the Nazi occupation after Rome was declared an \u201copen city\u201d in 1943<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The film centers on a group of resistance fighters who try to avoid Nazi detection as they work to thwart the fascists through guerrilla warfare.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoma Citt\u00e0 Aperta\u201d<\/em> features one of the most famous scenes in the history of Italian cinema.<\/p>\n

At the very end, a group of schoolboys walks silently across a view of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica after their teacher has been murdered by the Nazis. This sole shot of a Roman monument is a moving testament to the Italian spirit being reborn out of the ashes of war.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This film is a\u00a0good one for beginners to start out with<\/strong>. Many of the characters, especially the Germans,\u00a0speak Italian very clearly and slowly<\/strong>. You\u2019ll also encounter the Roman dialect, which tends to cut off the ends of words.<\/p>\n

22. Matrimonio all\u2019italiana <\/em><\/a>(Marriage Italian Style) (1964)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Vittorio De Sica\"Blu-Ray
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMatrimonio all\u2019 Italiana\u201d<\/em> stars Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.<\/p>\n

In this comedy-drama, the line between the exploitative nature of prostitution and the true affection that might grow out of such a relationship is tested to the limit.<\/p>\n

Filumena is a beautiful but uneducated prostitute. Domenico is a rich playboy who supports her financially.\u00a0When she hears the news that Domenico is going to marry someone else, she hatches a plot for him to marry her instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sophia Loren is the most famous actress to come out of Napoli<\/a>\u00a0and she speaks with a\u00a0heavy Neapolitan accent<\/strong>. Though this dialect is quite hard to understand, it\u2019s interesting to hear how rich and varied dialects can be throughout Italy.<\/p>\n

23. Le notti di Cabiria<\/em><\/a> (Nights of Cabiria) (1957)<\/h2>\n

Director: <\/strong>Federico Fellini\"Nights
\nFind it on: <\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cNights of Cabiria\u201d is another drama directed by Federico Fellini.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s about a cheerful and optimistic streetwalker named Cabiria looking for love in all the wrong places. Her diminutive stature and sweet expression are played off against her explosive character.<\/p>\n

While the reality of her life is harsh, her uncrushable spirit allows her to overcome the men who take advantage of her again and again. Despite her lot in life, she has a strong sense of self-worth that she defends to the very end.<\/p>\n

The way the characters talk to one another is often highly emotional and dramatic. While watching, pay attention to the hand gestures<\/strong> the characters use to emphasize their words.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These hand gestures,\u00a0i gesti<\/em>, are important parts of Italian non-verbal communication that are as ingrained in the language as the actual words.<\/p>\n

24. Riso amaro<\/em><\/a> (Bitter Rice) (1949)\"Riso<\/h2>\n

Director:\u00a0<\/strong>Giuseppe de Santis
\nFind it on:<\/strong> Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cRiso Amaro\u201d<\/em>\u00a0shows the lives of female migrant agricultural workers<\/strong>. It takes place in the Po Valley in northern Italy, where poor farmers\u2019 daughters gathered every year to harvest the rice crop.<\/p>\n

Two criminals, Francesca and Walter, are laying low by blending in with these workers. Francesca gets a job working the rice fields while Walter hatches a plot to steal the rice crop.<\/p>\n

Along the way, they meet Silvana, a rice worker, and Marco, a soldier who has a crush on Silvana. Spurning Marco, Silvana becomes attracted to Walter and his exciting criminal lifestyle.<\/p>\n

For Silvana, this is preferable to back-breaking work in the fields. Francesca and Marco then try to stop Walter\u2019s plot and stop Silvana from making the horrible mistake of getting caught up in Walter\u2019s web of lies.<\/p>\n

Why Learn Italian with Movies?<\/h2>\n

Why are some of the best movies in Italian also some of the most useful Italian learning tools? There are several logical reasons why you should make movies a regular part of your Italian study schedule.<\/p>\n

Movies are multi-sensory and immersive.<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re looking for excellent online learning tools<\/a>,\u00a0you’ll want\u00a0resources that are multi-sensory and immersive<\/a>. Learning Italian with movies offers exactly that experience. You get to train your ears, trying to get used to the language<\/strong> at the fast pace employed by its native speakers.<\/p>\n

We learn so much from what we see, and movies offer that visual context to language learning like nothing else can<\/a>. You actually see language as it animates the characters’ interactions. You see the gestures as wielded by native speakers, the subtle nuances that make the language so vivid.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but you actually get to hear exactly what\u00a0Italian is supposed to sound like<\/strong>. You hear the melodious valleys and peaks of Italian twang in the very authentic style of the movie where there\u2019s an engaging story and characters go from one misadventure to another.<\/p>\n

Movies are nuanced, diverse and flexible language learning tools.<\/h3>\n

With movies, you have a pretty diverse set of contexts, topics and stories. Movies tackle subjects and genres that other learning materials can’t even consider.<\/p>\n

Regardless of its genre, an Italian movie is a treasure trove of language lessons<\/strong>. A single film can actually tackle many different fields. A single scene\u00a0can\u00a0contain vocabulary, phrases and expressions that will\u00a0add more texture and nuance to your arsenal, and be brought into your daily conversations.<\/p>\n

You only need to have the creativity or the insight to apply them to other situations. By actively watching movies in Italian, you can mine them for every language lesson they contain<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Movies relax your brain and help you learn better.<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve probably heard of \u201clearning through play\u201d or \u201cgamified learning\u201d\u2014the idea that we learn better while playing games. Related to this is the idea that we learn better when we\u2019re relaxed.<\/p>\n

Watching movies is generally a relaxing activity, even if it’s an action movie or a thriller. Scientific studies have shown that relaxation causes us to produce theta waves<\/a>, which make us more receptive to new information\u2014and also enhance our memories of what we learn in that state.<\/p>\n

Aside from the learning benefits, this practice gives you positive reinforcement\u2014demonstrating, again and again, that there’s entertainment and enjoyment to be found when you open up to the Italian language. And, by making Italian films part of your regular relaxation routine, you also demystify the language.<\/p>\n

On a subconscious level, hearing Italian<\/a> will soon become second nature to you. This is a great way to convince your psyche that you’re well on your way to Italian fluency<\/a>\u2014and having confidence<\/a> in your ability to learn it is half the battle!<\/p>\n

How to Learn Italian with Movies?<\/h2>\n

How to milk the scenes<\/h3>\n

The first time you watch a film, don\u2019t consider it a language lesson. You can put your language learner hat on for the second or third time around. This is the time to break the film down into manageable chunks by focusing on its component scenes individually<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This allows you to devote focused attention to certain parts of the movie, like a dinner party or fight scene. While watching each scene, press the pause and replay buttons as many times as you need. In each\u00a0scene, look for things like mood, goal, conflict or situation<\/strong>. What\u2019s the scene about? Is it a couple fighting? Is it about a witness being grilled in a courtroom?<\/p>\n

Try to be conscious of these things because the flavor of the language that will be used\u2014the type of vocabulary and expressions employed\u2014depends very much on the function of the scene. Also, watch for shifts in the language due to mood changes.<\/p>\n

Understanding the theme and nuances of each scene will help you find other real-life situations where you can apply the specific words and phrases it uses. If you understand what’s being said and why, you can better master the subtleties of the words and phrases you’re learning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Learning with authentic content is the best way to do this.\u00a0However, sometimes authentic content that’s appropriate for your level can be hard to find.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"FluentU<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

The language learning program FluentU<\/a> has a tailor-made video player that can solve these problems.<\/p>\n

\r\nFluentU takes real-world videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons<\/a><\/strong>, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-italian-with-videos\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nFluentU helps you get comfortable with everyday Italian by combining all the benefits of complete immersion and native-level conversations with interactive subtitles<\/strong>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nTap on any word to instantly see an image, in-context definition, example sentences and other videos in which the word is used.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-italian-with-television-show-clips\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nAccess a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue<\/strong> tab, and review words and phrases with convenient audio clips under Vocab<\/strong>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-conversational-italian-with-subtitled-dialogue\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nOnce you've watched a video, you can use FluentU's quizzes<\/strong> to actively practice all the vocabulary in that video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you\u2019re on.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"practice-italian-with-adaptive-quizzes\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nFluentU will even keep track of all the Italian words you\u2019ve learned to recommend videos and ask you questions based on what you already know.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nPlus, it'll tell you exactly when it's time for review. Now that's a 100% personalized experience<\/strong>!\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nThe best part? You can try FluentU for free!\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\n

How to mine the subtitles<\/h3>\n

As you begin to pay careful attention as you watch the film, use the subtitles for countless language lessons. The sequence for watching with subtitles should be:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. English subtitles<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Italian subtitles<\/strong><\/li>\n
  3. No subtitles<\/strong> (cue standing ovation!)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Mine the English subtitles first for all they’re worth. Notice the correspondence between the English translation and the Italian delivery by the characters. Do you see and hear words that are often used?\u00a0Watch and listen for English and Italian cognates<\/a> and false friends<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    When you switch to the native subtitles, this is where your learning goes to a whole new level. Notice\u00a0how Italian spelling compares with Italian pronunciation<\/a>. You’ll notice that Italian has practically no silent letters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Have your paper and pen ready as you dissect a scene<\/strong>. When you see an interesting word in the subtitles, hit \u201cpause\u201d and write it down. Look for longer words that you suspect to be verbs, nouns and adjectives. (The short words are usually connectives.) Try to have 10-12 words per scene.<\/p>\n

    After you finish a scene, look up the words you\u2019ve written.\"Barron's<\/a> You can use WordReference<\/a> and play around with their Italian-English and English-Italian sections. Their entries offer deep and nuanced insights into the words, with ample sentence examples for study.<\/p>\n

    The Free Dictionary<\/a> also has an endearing Italian version. And if you love the crinkle of real paper, you can get a copy of Barron’s <\/a>or Webster’s<\/a> English-Italian dictionaries.<\/p>\n

    After getting the meanings and usage examples, head back to the scene and watch it again. Do this for every scene in the movie and you\u2019ll gain more insight into the language.<\/p>\n

    How to mimic the sound<\/h3>\n

    After a lot of repetition, there comes a point when you can practically talk along with the film. You\u2019ve got all the gestures down pat, and you can time the ebb and flow of conversation to perfection. I encourage you to talk aloud as the characters talk<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s very important that you actually give voice to the Italian that’s in your head and ears. You have to experience the feeling of actual Italian words coming out of your mouth, rolling off your tongue\u2014imperfect as they may be. The experience of actually speaking\u00a0solidifies your learning<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Read aloud even when you can barely keep up with the native speakers on the screen.\u00a0It’ll be uncomfortable and awkward at first, but stay with it.\u00a0And when you’ve memorized the lines, close your eyes and say the lines.<\/p>\n

    When deconstructing a film, there\u2019s a real possibility that you might be content to just understand the lines spoken by the actors.\u00a0But that\u2019s just a vital stop to an even more important destination: the ability to speak in Italian.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    These are just 24 of the most awesome offspring of Italian cinema. Each one has a certain slant, flavor, style or lesson that’ll help you learn Italian by watching movies\u2014in other words, the fun and engaging way!<\/p>\n

    I trust that with the tips gained here, you\u2019ll be able to attack any Italian film and milk it for all it’s worth.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Watching movies in Italian\u00a0can be\u00a0an incredibly effective way to learn the language. Have a look at my top Italian films from a variety of decades and genres. Not only are…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":454,"featured_media":249823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Learn Italian with Movies: The 24 Best Italian Films | FluentU Italian Blog","description":"Learn Italian with movies with outstanding Italian cinema! Here are 24 of the best Italian movies\u2014including some classics and \"guilty pleasure\" films\u2014to make movie night the perfect time to improve your Italian. Whether you like comedy, romance or drama, there's something for every Italian learner."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[420,421],"tags":[],"coauthors":[159],"class_list":["post-69145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-italian","category-italian-learning-resources"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/454"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69145"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69145\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251546,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69145\/revisions\/251546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69145"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=69145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}