Galileo (1968 film)
Galileo (also known as Galileo Galilei) is a 1968 Italian-Bulgarian biographical drama film directed by Liliana Cavani. It depicts the life of Galileo Galilei and particularly his clash with the Catholic Church regarding the interpretation of his astronomical observations with the newly invented telescope. Plot In 1597, the scientist Galileo Galilei meets the philosopher Giordano Bruno, author of treatises that upset the Church for their extreme accuracy on the nature of the world. In fact the period is that of the oppressor and the Counter-Reformation and Bruno having worsened his relations with the Church, is unjustly tried and condemned to the stake. Meanwhile, Galileo receives a gift of a telescope from a friend, and perfects its potential. Thanks to it, therefore the scientist makes his first experiments on the stars and began to write his treatises. But the new Pope Urbano VIII and his beloved cardinal discover these theories, find them heretical and order the scientist to recant publicly. Cast Cyril Cusack as Galileo Galilei Georgi Kaloyanchev as Giordano Bruno Nevena Kokanova as Marina Nikolay Doychev as Cardinal Bellarmino Gheorghi Cerkelov as Paolo Sarpi Piero Vida as Pope Urban VIII Gigi Ballista as Dominican Commissioner Paolo Graziosi as Gian Lorenzo Bernini Maia Dragomaska as the Galilei's daughter Lou Castel as the young monk of the Vatican Giulio Brogi as Sagredo Home media Galileo was released in 2010 as a Region 2 DVD. A Region 1 DVD has not been released. See also Galileo is a 1975 English language film based on Bertolt Brecht's play Life of Galileo. See the article by Cristina Olivotto and Antonella Testa for a comparison of the 1968 and 1975 films. References External links 1968 films 1960s biographical drama films 1960s historical drama films 1960s multilingual films Bulgarian biographical drama films 1960s Italian-language films English-language Italian films English-language Bulgarian films 1960s English-language films Italian multilingual films Bulgarian multilingual films Bulgarian historical drama films Films scored by Ennio Morricone Films directed by Liliana Cavani Italian biographical drama films Italian historical drama films Films shot in Bulgaria Films set in the 1590s Films set in Rome Cultural depictions of Galileo Galilei Cultural depictions of Giordano Bruno 1968 drama films 1960s Italian films