Through the lens of two most influential and iconic Italian films, Fellini’s La dolce vita (1960) and Sorrentino’s La grande bellezza (2013; Academy Award for Best Foreign Film), students will explore different perspectives into the eternal city. Rome will appear in all its beauty at two key moments in Italy’s social history: the “economic miracle” of the 1950s, and the “Berlusconi years” of the 1990s and early 2000s.
This event will alternate morning lectures, led by Prof. Bonsaver, and afternoon workshops, led by Dr Magnabosco. Lectures will concentrate on the cinematic style used by both directors in order to represent contemporary society and the role of the artist in it, casting light on how Sorrentino attempted to re-address Fellini’s aesthetic and social concerns half a century later. During the workshops, students will be invited to look closely at a selection of scenes from both films, so to link themes presented in the lectures to dialogues and characters, while furthering language skills through focus on vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
Please note:
- The event will be conducted in Italian and is aimed at students who have reached an Upper Intermediate level.
- This event will close to enrolments at 23:59 BST on 6 May 2026.