Oscar winner Roberto Benigni, whose 1997 film "La vita e' bella" (Life is Beautiful) won three Academy Awards, has unleashed a humurous jibe at Silvio Berlusconi, saying he had a "wonderful relationship of platonic hatred" with the former premier.
"You know, I have always had a wonderful relationship with Berlusconi, a platonic hatred and, as a comic, have feelings of gratitude towards him," Benigni said at an event in Florence.
Benigni was presenting his summer recitations of parts of "The Divine Comedy" in a popular one-man show called "Tutto Dante" (All Dante).
He will perform the show in Florence's Piazza Santa Croce on 12 dates between July 20 and Aug 6.