1980s
In 1980 he met Cesenate actress Nicoletta Braschi, who was to become his wife and who has starred in most of the films he directed.
Benigni's first film as director was Tu mi turbi (You upset me, 1983). This film was also his first collaboration with Nicoletta Braschi.
In 1984, he played in Non ci resta che piangere ("Nothing left to do but cry") with the very popular comic actor Massimo Troisi. The story was a fable in which the protagonists are suddenly thrown back in time to the 15th century, just a little before 1492. They start looking for Columbus in order to stop him from discovering the Americas (although for very personal love reasons), but are not able to reach him.
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