11 Italian Romance Films to Stream Right Now
Any time is a good time to celebrate some Italian amore by streaming these romantic Netflix and Amazon Instant Video picks. While you may not be taking a romantic vacation to Milan, you and your other half (or your best friends) can escape with a cozy date night and one of these instant streaming movies. From old, classic films to contemporary indie movies, these Italian romance films are sure to get you in the romantic spirit.
Light of My Eyes
Light of My Eyes (2001) won multiple awards at the Venice Film Festival, making it a popular pick. In it, a young man is drawn to the tragic life of a struggling single mother who's trying to hold onto both her business and the custody of her daughter.
Marriage Italian Style
Iconic Italian actress Sophia Loren stars in 1964's Marriage Italian Style. A man is planning to get married, but when his mistress (Loren) tells him that she's ill, he chooses to care for her instead.
Bread and Tulips
In 2000's Bread and Tulips, a melancholy housewife feels that her husband takes her for granted. To rediscover her happiness, she hitchhikes to Venice and starts to create a new life for herself.
Agata and the Storm
Agata and the Storm (2004) centers on a middle-aged bookstore owner who has an affair with a younger man.
Malèna
In 2000's Malèna, a beautiful woman catches the eye of a young boy. As time goes on, he watches as she struggles through loss, poverty, and humiliation. Meanwhile, he struggles to understand his own feelings about her.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Sophia Lauren and Marcello Mastroianni star in 1963's Oscar-winning comedy Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, a trio of sex-related stories.
I Am Love
I Am Love (2009) — a Golden Globe nominee starring Tilda Swinton — involves family tensions and forbidden love.
Days and Clouds
Filmed in Genoa, Italy, 2008's Days and Clouds focuses on domestic drama. A woman goes back to school to study art history, and when her husband loses his job, the financial strain shifts the dynamic of their marriage.
Dangerous Beauty
Taking place in 16th century Venice, Dangerous Beauty (1998) follows one woman who works her way up the social ladder. However, she can't seem to get over a man from another class, with whom she's in love.
Sunflower
In 1970's Sunflower, a woman visits Russia years after her husband is reported missing in action, only to find that he's still alive.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) follows a writer who takes a trip to Italy after finding out her husband has been cheating on her. On a whim, she buys a villa hoping the move will shake up her life, and the beautiful countryside isn't the only thing that captivates her heart.