The Garden of the Finzi-Continis

Italien/ Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1970
Length
95 minutes
Director
Vittorio De Sica
Cast
  • Lino Capolicchio
  • Dominique Sanda
  • Fabio Testi
  • Romolo Valli
  • Helmut Berger
  • Camillo Cesarei
  • Inna Alexeievna
  • Katina Morisani
  • Barbara Pilavin

Content

Ferrara, Italy at the end of the thirties: The Finzi Continis are a respected intellectual, jewish family with a stately property. When restrictions against the jews under Mussolini’s fascist government tighten, their large garden becomes a meeting point for the jewish friends of their grown-up children Micòl and Alberto. They try to avoid the ever growing threats with parties and tennis matches. The pretty Micòl falls in love with Giorgio, son of a jewish doctor, who is trying to come to terms with the fascists. Later she starts a liaison with his friend, to whom she is mostly physically attracted. She also deeply loves her brother Alberto, who dies before the family is finally deported.

This Masterpiece from Vittorio De Sica, with Visconti star Helmut Berger in the roll of Alberto, won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film and the BERLINALE GOLDEN BEAR in 1971.

>>> watch trailer on reelzchannel.com

Gallery

Credits

Production company
Documento Film; CCC-Filmkunst
Original title
Il giardino dei Finzi Contini