It’s the official ‘I Love Italian Movies’ holiday! It’s Luigi Lo Cascio’s birthday, so help us celebrate!

Auguri Luigi! It’s my favorite actor’s birthday, and I was lucky enough to meet him in Venice this year. Guess what; he’s not only the best actor in the world, but also the nicest.

He’s got a beautiful wife and two adorable children, and a career that most actors only dream of having, and yet he is humble and down-to-earth as anyone I have ever met. Born in Palermo, he started acting when his uncle, an actor (Luigi Maria Burruano), sent him to audition for I Cento Passi.

In 2012 he directed his first film, the wonderful La Città Ideale, and it debuted at the Venice Film Festival.

This past year he starred in three of the best films of the year; Il Capitale Umano (sent to the Academy Awards), Marina (was considered for the Academy Awards), and I Nostri Ragazzi, a great film based on Herman Koch’s novel, The Dinner.

Luigi Lo Cascio is the inspiration behind I Love Italian Movies and I will never forget that. His was in one of the first Italian films I ever watched in an Italian theater, and it made me realize that things were changing in Italian cinema.

Am I gushing? I can’t help it. He’s great.

Here are some highlights from his movies, some trailers, and some links to instant viewing and rentals. Help me wish him a happy birthday, and many more.

Tanti Auguri di buon compleanno e ci vediamo a Los Angeles con il tuo Oscar!