La Grande Bellezza and the Aesthetics of the Absurd

Intertextuality, Identity and Space

Abstract

Although the film La Grande Bellezza was released in 2013 and therefore does not belong to the modernist or existentialist era, it contains many elements that are characteristic of these ‘isms’ and their common denominator, the absurd. The protagonist, Jep Gambardella, has led a hedonistic life in the higher circles of Rome, but no longer seems to be able to identify with it. After the death of his first love, Elisa De Santis, a change takes place within him. In the film, numerous references are made to modernist works of art, including books and modernist concepts, but also to films with existentialist themes that highlight Jep’s lack of connection with his surroundings and his search for identity. This article links Jep and La Grande Bellezza to the style and themes of the absurd, modernism and existentialism, paying special attention to the way space is represented in the film.