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Marco Bellocchio

Marco Bellocchio(Italian pronunciation:[ˈmarkobelˈlɔkkjo];born 9 November 1939) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor.

Marco Bellocchio
Bellocchio in 2010
Born(1939-11-09)9 November 1939(age 85)
Bobbio,Italy
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, actor
Years active1962–present

Life and career

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Born inBobbio,near Piacenza, Marco Bellocchio had a strict Catholic upbringing – his father was a lawyer, his mother a schoolteacher.[1]He began studying philosophy in Milan but then decided to enter film school, first at the Dramatic Art Academy of Milan, then the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome,[2]and later at theSlade School of Fine Artin London. His first film,Fists in the Pocket(I pugni in tasca,winner of the Silver Sail at the 1965Festival del film Locarno), was funded by family members and shot on family property in 1965.

Films

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Bellocchio's films includeChina Is Near(1967),Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina(Slap the Monster on Page One) (1972),Nel Nome del Padre(In the name of the Father– a satire on a Catholic boarding school that shares affinities withLindsay Anderson'sIf....) (1972),Victory March(1976),A Leap in the Dark(1980),Henry IV(1984),Devil in the Flesh(1986), andMy Mother's Smile(2002), which told the story of a wealthy Italian artist, a 'default-Marxist and atheist', who suddenly discovers that theVaticanis proposing to make his detested mother a saint.

In 1991, he won theSilver Bear – Special Jury Prizeat the41st Berlin International Film Festivalfor his filmThe Conviction.[3]

In 1995, he directed a documentary about theRed Brigadesand the kidnapping and murder ofAldo Moro,titledBroken Dreams.In 2003, he directed a feature film on the same theme,Good Morning, Night.In 2006, his filmThe Wedding Directorwas screened in theUn Certain Regardsection at the2006 Cannes Film Festival.[4]In 1999, he was awarded with an Honorable Prize for the contribution to cinema at the21st Moscow International Film Festival.[5]

In 2009, he directedVincere,which was in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival. He finishedSorelle Mai,an experimental film that was shot over ten years with the students of six separate workshops playing themselves. He was awarded with theGolden Lion for Lifetime Achievementat the68th Venice International Film Festivalin September 2011.[6]

His 2012 filmDormant Beautywas selected to compete for theGolden Lionat the69th Venice International Film Festival.[7]On 6 September 2012, Bellocchio condemned the Catholic Church's interference in politics after the premiere of his controversial film about a high-profile euthanasia case. The film approaches the topic of euthanasia and the difficulty withlegislation on end of lifein Italy, which hasVatican Citywithin its borders. The subject is inspired byEluana Englaro's case. Following the decision of the jury of the Venice Film Festival, which excluded the film from the Golden Lion, Bellocchio has expressed strong criticism against PresidentMichael Mann.[8]

Political activity

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Bellocchio made a big impact on radical Italian cinema in the mid-1960s, and was a friend ofPasolini.In 1968, he joined theUnion of Italian Communists (Marxist-Leninist),aMaoistgroup, and began to make politically militant cinema. However, in a 2002 interview, he talked about divided state of the Italian left, politics' lacking from the aim of radical change, and how such a radical change not being appealing for him anymore:[9]

"I can talk about my personal ideas butMarxismhas little to do with it now. Today politics means administration, either a good or a bad administration, and nobody is talking any more in terms of changing things. The left in Italy is now very divided, as if it doesn't have the strength to form an opposition. No party is now proposing a radical change of anything, and radical change is no longer very interesting to me as an artist. "

In another interview conducted inLondon Film Festivalof 2006, he insisted still being a leftist, but argued for a need to reinvent the term:[10]

In Italy politics is pretty mediocre and depressing. It is not the same situation as in the 60s when you had the idea to change the society through politics that doesn't exist anymore. It is not necessarily to make Italy into socialist republic but in any case to change a few things radically. Because in Italy like the rest of Europe politics now is more based on running a public administration and so there is not a big difference between left and right. [...] I am still on the left but socialism and the left should be reinvented. It is difficult. Basically old values are invalid anymore and we have to find new ones. "

He was candidate forItalian Parliamentin 2006, withRose in the Fistlist, a political cartel made bysocialistsandItalian Radicals(aliberal,social liberalandlibertarianparty).

He is an atheist.[11]

Personal life

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He is the third son in his family along with his twin brother Camillo, who committed suicide in 1969 leaving an lasting impact on Bellocchio's life. He has three children including a son Pier Giorgio Bellocchio with actress Gisella Burinato and a daughter Elena with his current partner Francesca Calvelli who is also the editor for his films.

Filmography

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Director

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Writer

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Actor

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Awards and nominations

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Awards and nominations received by Marco Bellocchio
Award Year Work Category Result
Cannes Film Festival[12] 2021 Honorary Palme d'Or Won
Berlin International Film Festival[13] 1991 The Conviction Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize Won
Venice Film Festival[14] 2011 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Won
David di Donatello[15] 1980 A Leap in the Dark Best Director Won
2003 My Mother's Smile Nominated
2004 Good Morning, Night Nominated
2007 The Wedding Director Nominated
2010 Vincere Won
2011 Sorelle Mai Nominated
2017 Sweet Dreams Nominated
2020 The Traitor Won
2023 Exterior Night Won
2003 My Mother's Smile Best Screenplay Nominated
2004 Good Morning, Night Nominated
2010 Vincere Nominated
2017 Sweet Dreams Nominated
2020 The Traitor Won
2023 Exterior Night Nominated
2014 Lifetime Achievement Award Won
Nastro d'Argento[16]
1966 Fists in the Pocket Best Director Nominated
2003 My Mother's Smile Won
2004 Good Morning, Night Nominated
2007 The Wedding Director Nominated
2009 Vincere Nominated
2011 Sorelle mai Nominated
2013 Dormant Beauty Nominated
2017 Sweet Dreams Nominated
2019 The Traitor Won
2023 Kidnapped Won
1966 Fists in the Pocket Best Story Won
1968 China Is Near Won
1976 Victory March Nominated
2002 My Mother's Smile Won
2007 The Wedding Director Won
1966 Fists in the Pocket Best Screenplay Nominated
1968 China Is Near Nominated
1998 The Prince of Homburg Nominated
2002 My Mother's Smile Nominated
2004 Good Morning, Night Nominated
2013 Dormant Beauty Nominated
2019 The Traitor Won
2023 Kidnapped Won

References

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  1. ^The Independent Review, p. 14, 15 November 2002
  2. ^"Marco Bellocchio".Festival de Cannes.Retrieved20 December2023.
  3. ^"Berlinale: 1991 Prize Winners".berlinale.de.Retrieved22 March2011.
  4. ^"Festival de Cannes: The Wedding Director".festival-cannes.Retrieved15 December2009.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^"21st Moscow International Film Festival (1999)".MIFF.Archived fromthe originalon 22 March 2013.Retrieved23 March2013.
  6. ^"Cannes Film Festival to honour jailed Iranian directors".BBC News.11 May 2011.Retrieved11 May2011.
  7. ^"Venezia 69".labiennale.Archived fromthe originalon 28 July 2012.Retrieved26 July2012.
  8. ^"Anger Bellocchio on Venice jury".
  9. ^Clarke, Roger (15 November 2002)."Marco Bellocchio: Mother love?".The Independent.Retrieved13 February2023.
  10. ^Jahed, Parviz (5 July 2022)."Socialism and the Left Should Be Reinvented, Interview with Marco Bellocchio".Universal Cinema.Retrieved13 February2023.
  11. ^"Interview to Studiocinema".Archived fromthe originalon 26 March 2012.
  12. ^"Palma d'Oro d'Onore a Marco Bellocchio"(in Italian).
  13. ^"Marco Bellocchio"(in Italian).
  14. ^"Leone d'oro alla carriera a Marco Bellocchio"(in Italian).
  15. ^"Personaggi - Marco Bellocchio"(in Italian).
  16. ^"Personaggi - Marco Bellocchio"(in Italian).
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