The last great master of Italian cinema, Bernardo Bertolucci, dies

Director and screenwriter, Bertolucci won nine Oscars in 1988 with the film 'The Last Emperor'. Among his great works, 'Novecento' and 'Last Tango in Paris' also stand out.

Italian director and screenwriter Bernardo Bertolucci died this morning in Rome at the age of 77 years. Born in Parma (Italy) on March 16, 1941, Betolucci He started in the world of cinema with his brother Giuseppand making short films in 16 mm. In 1961, he debuted as assistant director in Beggar, first feature film by Pier Paolo Pasolini. A year later he made his debut as a director with The dry wife.

As a screenwriter, he was nominated for an Oscar for the first time with The conformist, which competed for the statuette of best adapted screenplay. Two years later he was nominated for the Oscar for best director with The last tango in Paris, a film that catapulted him to international fame surrounded by great controversy due to some of the scenes in the film.

In 1976 he directed Twentieth century, in which he takes an x-ray of 20th century Italy faced with the children of a landowner and a peasant (Robert De Niro and Gérard Depardieu).

But, without a doubt, his most commercial work and with which he won nine Oscars (out of 21 nominations) was the co-production of China, Italy, the United Kingdom and France, The last emperor.

Bertolucci, who was always interested in cinematographic technique and became a great camera operator, saw his career recognized in 2011 with the awarding of the honorary Palme d'Or in 2011 during the Cannes Festival. The last great master of Italian cinema also received the Grand Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and the Gold Medal for merit in culture and art.