Biography of Bernardo Bertolucci

The dreamer

March 16, 1941 Son of the famous poet and literary critic Attilio Bertolucci, Bernardo was born on March 16, 1941 around Parma, a few kilometers from the estate where Giuseppe Verdi lived. He spent his childhood in the countryside and the age of fifteen, with a 16 mm movie camera. borrowed, he made his first short films. Despite these early cinematic experiments, Bertolucci, who moves to Rome with his family, he enrolled at the Faculty of modern literature and devoted himself to poetry, following in the footsteps of his father. In 1962 he won the Viareggio Prize for the first work for the book in verse "In search of the mystery", but love for cinema in spite of this early literary success resurfaces with arrogance. So in the same year he left University, Bernardo Bertolucci, the pen and the rhymes to work as Assistant Director on "Accattone", the first film of that great character who was Pier Paolo Pasolini, Bertolucci then family friend and neighbor. The young Bernardo pawing and can't wait to finally sign up a direction all its own: the following year (1963) made his debut behind the camera thanks to the interest of the producer Tonino Cervi, who entrusted him with the realization of a subject of Pasolini, "the Grim Reaper". Frowned upon because of his knowledge, it can be said that Bertolucci film has entered through the front door, which for years will not be forgiven. In 1964 he made his second film "before the revolution" and later works with Sergio Leone on the screenplay of "once upon a time in the West". Little more than twenty years old so it's already a Director said. After "partners", with "La strategia del ragno" began his extraordinary collaboration with the cinematographer Vittorio Storaro magician. It is the beginning of the years ' 70 and Bertolucci, also thanks to the next "the conformist," earn international fame and the first Oscar nomination for best screenplay. In 1972 it was the turn of "last tango in Paris" (with Marlon Brando), the now famous film-scandal become a synonym for censorship. The film undergoes strong opposition: is withdrawn from cinemas and sent back to the stake with a judgment of the Supreme Court. It is only saved a copy in order to be filed in the film library, thanks to the intervention of the President of the Republic. Bertolucci was sentenced to two months in prison and stripped of voting rights for five years for bringing to the screen a story immoral. "Last tango in Paris" will be "rehabilitated" only in 1987. Needless to say that this was definitely an exaggerated clamour that has done nothing, ultimately, that acentuare the curiosity about this film that many consider a masterpiece and many others, naturally, resize as a classic product of the post-dispute. Released from this harsh experience, by this ruthless comparison with common morality, in 1976 the Director of Parma is dedicated to blockbuster and realizes that great masterpiece that is "Novecento", social and historical epic that traces the first forty-five years of the century through the relationship between two boys from different social classes. The cast appear future stars like Robert De Niro, Gérard Dépardieu and Stefania Sandrelli alongside established giants like Burt Lancaster and Donald Sutherland. Subsequent films, "La luna" and "tragedy of a ridiculous man", which do not meet the favour of the audience and critics, lead to his most resounding success however, Bertolucci, shot in many difficulties for the enormous funding required: the film "the last emperor", film that reconstructs the life of Pu Yi, last emperor of China. The film won the audience and critics alike, gets 9 Oscar Awards (directing, adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing, music, set design, costumes and sound) and is the first and only Italian film to receive the award for Best Director, as well as the only film in Hollywood history to receive all the Oscars for which it is nominated. In Italy "the last emperor" won 9 David di Donatello and 4 Nastri d'argento, France received the César for best foreign film. Bernardo Bertolucci is the elite of international filmmaking. Performs other two copyright industry: "the sheltering sky", based on the novel-cult of Paul Bowles and shot between Morocco and Algeria (bitter affair that tells the agony of love) and "little Buddha", traveling deep in Tibet and in the heart of one of the most fascinating Oriental religions. In 1996 Bertolucci returns to shoot in Italy, in Tuscany, and produces "Io ballo da sola", seemingly slight comedy about the growth and youth where they mix though continuously love and death, themes that are always present and inseparable in his films. Two years later, it was the turn of "the siege", which critics have called a "hymn to the movies". Always full of ideas and projects Bertolucci is engaged in the activities of producers. In 2000 he produced and wrote the screenplay of "the triumph of love", directed by his wife Clare Peploe and, in 2001, she appeared in the film by Laura Betti "Pier Paolo Pasolini: the reason for a dream", dedicated to the great master of both of these artists. Bertolucci has revisited the themes of ' 68 and youthful protest in lens "The dreamers", winner of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes film festival. For many this is another masterpiece, others just a nostalgic period operation beautified and idealized by memory. "The Dreamers" is actually the tale of an initiation into life, based on the novel "The holy innocents" by Gilbert Adair, who also wrote the screenplay.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.