How was Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful ever made?

Certainly not in Hollywood. The Italian film presenting themes of racism, love, death, and family over the backdrop of WWII Italy and an unnamed German work camp defies convention at every turn. When the film should remain somber, comedy is introduced; when it should be happy, a numb terror reigns. And interestingly enough, Life Is Beautiful is at all times, poignant.

Benigni's Oscar winner ("Best Foreign Film" and "Best Actor") essentially divides into two themed segments. The first, which is largely comical, details Jewish Guido's meeting and wooing of Dora, an Italian school teacher. The second, which is far more moving and substantive, occurs roughly six years later; Guido and Dora are raising their five-year old son Giosue in the midst of Fascist Italy near the end of WWII. On Giosue's fifth birthday, he and his father Guido are taken from their home and brought to a Nazi work camp.

While this could easily turn into the average holocaust tale, Bernigni saves the film by working in an entirely new aspect into the film. Guido determines to hide the atrocity of the Jewish situation from his young son in order to spare his innocence. Giosue is persuaded by his father to believe that their entire situation is a grand game and a gift for his fifth birthday—the object of the game is to earn 1000 points by surviving and hiding and by earning the most points, win one's own tank. It is Guido's persistence in keeping the illusion a reality for his son that truly becomes the films standing point.

Life Is Beautiful left me with a haunting apprehension due in large because of its title. The movie was so light and breezy, yet simultaneously so heavy and grim that my reaction and feeling toward the film were notably confused (even to hours after viewing). The finalé touched me in such an eerie way that a solitary tear bore down my cheek with unharnessable determination—and that means a lot.