ROME-The Best Foreign Film award for Paolo Sorrentino’s "La Grande Bellezza" will restore Italians' faith in themselves, tweets culture minister Dario Franceschini in reponse to last night's success.

 Upon receiving the news of Italian triumph at the Academy Awards, Signor Franceschini phoned the director to express his “joy and gratitude”, and later shared his enthusiasm on Twitter preparing Italy for an “injection of self-confidence”: “When our Country believes in its own talents and creativity, it finally wins again”, tweeted the minister. Meanwhile, prime minister Matteo Renzi joined the applause referring to last night’s triumph as a “moment of Italian pride.”     

 15 years after the resounding victory of Roberto Benigni’s “La vita è bella”, and 8 years after the nomination for Comencini’s “La bestia nel cuore”, Sorrentino brought Italy back on the highest podium in one of the movie industry’s most important competitions. Having collected a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award in the weeks leading up to Hollywood’s biggest night, Sorrentino has completed his round of triumph receiving the golden statuette on the stage of Dolby Theatre last night.

 Visibly moved, Sorrentino started his acceptance speech in English by giving thanks to the Academy, leading actor Toni Servillo, producer Nicola Giuliano, and the rest of his team, quoting Federico Fellini, Talking Heads, Martin Scorsese and Maradona as sources of inspiration. The director also thanked the city of Rome, to which he dedicated his film, Naples, where he was born, and his “own personal great beauties: Daniela, Anna and Carlo”, his wife and children.

 Up until now, Sorrentino’s depiction of Rome’s decadent glory - a biting satire of the debauched lifestyle of the rich, but also an homage to the city’s history and lavish beauty- has divided Italian critics, some of whom accused the director of promoting an unbalanced, negative image of Italian society. Praised for its originality and visual artistry abroad, the film has already earned over 8mln euros, which makes it the most successful film in Sorrentino’s career.

 Sorrentino’s success met with enthusiastic applause from Los Angeles’ Italian community gathered in the consul Giuseppe Perrone’s house, where also the director’s children were awaiting the verdict. At the ceremony, Sorrentino was joined on stage by Servillo and Giuliano, while screenwriter Contrarello and producers Cima, Prestieri and Giampaolo Letta di Medusa cheered on from the audience.