“This is something that I dream about: to live films, to arrive at the point at which one can live for films, can think cinematographically, eat cinematographically, sleep cinematographically, as a poet, a painter, lives, eats, sleeps painting”.

The Advent of Avant Garde Direction

Inspired by the celluloid world, Bernardo Bertolucci has been known as one of the greatest directors of the latter half of the 20th century who infused all the aspects of life into his films. Winning recognition in the world of films, Bertolucci, was the fearless director who went on to winning the 1964 Cannes Film Festival Award. As an innovative director, he started his career as a teenager making 16mm films and is well known for his two short films on children. Besides accomplishing his passion as a director and film maker, Bertolucci acquired fame as a writer, winning the prestigious accolade, the Premio Viareggio (one of Italy's top literary awards) for his first book, ‘In Search of Mystery’.

Born into an atmosphere infused with the spirit of intellectualism and curiosity, Benardo Bertolucci was born on March 16, 1940 in Parma. As the son of poet, film critic, and anthologist, Attilio and Nina Bertolucci, Bernardo was constantly inspired by his father’s work which influenced his career. Bernardo studied Modern Literature at the University of Rome from 1958 to 1961 and at the same time started his adventure with films as an assistant director to Pier Paolo Pasolini. Since Bernardo’s father had helped Pasolini publish his first novel, ‘Accattone’ in 1961, Pasolini had employed Bernardo as his first assistant. Following the magic path of films, Bernardo left the University without graduating to foray into the celluloid world. Other noted directors had observed young Bernardo’s talent and Sergio Leone asked him to write a storyline for ‘Once upon a time in the West’. This was considered too highly intellectual and was rejected.

Bernardo Bertolucci finally got a well-deserved break the following year. His debut was inaugurated with the film, ‘La Commare Secca’ (The Grim Reaper) with the script written by Pasolini based on a murder mystery. Filmed in Rome, the movie was not a success. His next venture was with ‘Prima della Rivoluzione’ (Before the Revolution). Though released in America, this film was not a box office hit, but won Bertolucci accolades at the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. For a period of five years, Bertolucci was not able to secure funds for his ventures and made documentaries. He also assisted the director, Julian Beck with his productions.

A Cache of Non-Conformism

By 1970, Bertolucci bounced back to directing films and directed ‘La Strategia del Ragno’ (The Spider's Stratagem). This was reviewed as an improvement compared to his earlier work, but with the film, ‘Il Conformista’ (The Conformist), he was recognized internationally. Shown at the 1970 Berlin Film Festival, the film was met with great reviews and Bertolucci received the accolade of being an excellent director. Being a deep thinker and an observer of character, Bertolucci was influenced with the works of Freud, Marx and Verdi and with political and religious aspects. With rave reviews and international acclaim, Bertolucci forayed into the deeper facets of life’s physicality, morality and the attitude of society. His controversial ‘Last Tango in Paris’ produced in 1972, with Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, won Bertolucci a Best Director Oscar nomination and a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Brando.

Going into an in-depth exploration of the political forces that swept Italy, Bertolucci sculpted his epical ‘Novecento’, in 1976. This was co-scripted with his brother, Guiseppe and editor Franco Arcalli. With a sterling cast, ‘Novecento’ is a 5-hour-plus epic about 20th century Italy starring Robert De Niro, Gerard Depardieu, Burt Lancaster, Donald Sutherland, Sterling Hayden, Dominique Sanda, Stefania Sandrelli and the late Laura Betti. The film was re-cut twice and finally released by Paramount in the United States with no publicity to a 4 hour version. The same theme was used for ‘The Last Emperor’ directed in 1987 by Bertolucci which went on to win nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The adaptation of Paul Bowles' ‘The Sheltering Sky’ was not very successful in 1990 and Bertolucci in 1994, came back to Asia to make ‘Little Buddha’. With ‘Stealing Beauty’, Bertolucci met again with good reviews with a break for the actress, Liv Tyler, who starred in the movie filmed against the breathtaking beauty of Tuscany in Italy. Revealing the secrets of love and lust, Bertolucci made the film, ‘Beseiged’, which brought him into the limelight as an intense director who chose not only unusual themes but wove the thread of reality into its framework with dexterity.

Playing with the kaleidoscope of the ‘doppelganger’, Bertolucci explored the depths of the mind with his fascination for the alter-ego. This is evident in, ‘Partner’ (1968), ‘Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man’ (1981), and ‘The Conformist’ (1971). Bertolucci’s artistic knowledge and a love for all things aesthetic is shown in the use of lighting, costume, subtle décor, backgrounds, and music. With the tango as Bertolucci’s signature, this dance is used as a classic metaphor, besides controversy seen both in the ‘Last Tango in Paris’ (1973) and ‘Luna’ (1979). Stimulating the intellect with awesome dialogues, themes and visualizing, the director has combined commercialization with reality. This is seen in La Via del petrolio (1965), Il Canale (1966), Amore e rabbia (1969, episode "il Fico Infruttuoso") and Ten Minutes Older: The Cello (2002). With the accolades of crossing the boundaries of three generations, four continents and a series of themes and concepts, Bertolucci has used the aspects of color and innovative editing thus surpassing the modern generation of movie directors and music video amateurs of the ‘80s and 90s.

Characterized by romance, expression, sensuousness and sensitive music, Bertolucci remains etched as a director whose flow is directed by fluidity of movement and smooth editing. Both Pasolini and Jean-Luc Godard were Bertolucci’s guides and mentors which are seen in the symbolism and avant garde attitude of his movies. His portrayal of the proof of love in ‘Dreamers’ and political crisis as seen in ‘The Double Partner’, often characterizes the themes of his films. But Bertolucci oversteps horizons aiming for a wider international market as seen in, ‘The Last Emperor’, ‘The Sheltering Sky’ (1990), and ‘Little Buddha’ (1993). At best with his epic productions, Bertolucci used this as a huge contrast at a time when film-making resembled that of TV serials. Bertolucci now spends his time between Rome and London with his English wife, Clare Peploe. His brother-in-law, Mark Peploe worked frequently with Bertolucci. With a beneficial partnership with British producer Jeremy Thomas, who co-ordinates international financing for unusual themes and films, Bertolucci has garnered the trust and the ability to render another series of avant garde movies.