The Passing of Bernardo Bertolucci; One of the Last of a Rare Generation

Bernardo Bertolucci, one of the greatest filmmakers of Italian cinema, passed away on Monday at the age of 77 in Rome after battling cancer. He was regarded as the last survivor of a generation of great Italian directors whose films had a significant impact on the world of cinema in the 1960s and 1970s. Politics and society had a clear presence in Bertolucci's works, and his films were known for their unique narrative style that explored social and political transformations against a backdrop of human relationships with a daring perspective. Bernardo Bertolucci was born in 1941 in Parma, northern Italy. His father, Attilio Bertolucci, was a well-known poet and art critic, which led Bernardo to be involved in artistic circles from a young age and develop an interest in literature and art. He began his artistic activities at the University of Rome and soon published his first novel with the help of the great Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini. In 1961, he worked as an assistant on Pasolini's film 'Accattone,' and the influence of this great filmmaker remained evident in his views and style. He made his first film, based on a story by Pasolini, in 1962 at the age of 21, titled 'The Grim Reaper.' This film did not bring much success to Bertolucci, but he gained attention with his second film, 'Before the Revolution,' which he made in 1964. In 1968, he made 'The Spider's Stratagem' based on a story by Jorge Luis Borges, which tells the story of a young man interested in his father's past and uncovers new secrets about a father who was known in society as an anti-fascist. His next film, 'The Conformist,' made in 1970 based on a story by Alberto Moravia, tells the story of an intellectual who carries out the assassination of his mentor. This film received international acclaim for its unique visual style and psychological narrative, and even some of the most recognized filmmakers, such as Francis Ford Coppola, spoke about its influence on their films. For this film, Bernardo Bertolucci was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the first time. In 1972, Bertolucci released his most controversial film, 'Last Tango in Paris,' an erotic drama about the strange relationship between an older man and a young woman, which had abusive aspects and was considered a critical statement about free sexual relationships in the modern world. The unprecedented boldness of its creators in depicting sexual scenes and the impactful portrayal of a rape scene led to its ban in many countries, including Italy and pre-revolution Iran. Maria Schneider, the young actress in this film, criticized Marlon Brando and Bertolucci for the way a scene was executed until the end of her life. In recent years, Bertolucci confirmed that he filmed this scene to make it as natural as possible without informing Schneider of the details. The controversial screening of this film in the 1970s sparked many reactions in artistic circles worldwide, and it was shown in the U.S. with an NC-17 rating, although this screening brought a second Academy Award nomination for Best Director for its creator. The sexual boldness in Bertolucci's works continued to have a constant presence until the final years of his career, including in another significant film, 'The Moon,' made in 1979, which depicted a taboo relationship between a mother and son. This film also generated considerable controversy due to its depiction of sexual scenes between mother and child. After the controversies of 'Last Tango in Paris,' Bertolucci made '1900' in 1976 with a significant budget and a cast of well-known actors such as Robert De Niro, Gérard Depardieu, Dominique Sanda, and Burt Lancaster. This five-hour film narrates the emergence of fascism and its background against a backdrop of social differences. In 1987, Bernardo Bertolucci achieved his most significant international honors with the film 'The Last Emperor,' which is considered the first part of Bertolucci's orientalist works and became a hallmark in his career by winning 9 Academy Awards and BAFTA and Golden Globe awards. For the first time, the Chinese government allowed Bertolucci to use the Forbidden City and its surroundings in making this film, which tells the story of the last emperor of China. 'Little Buddha,' made in 1993, completed Bertolucci's orientalist project, although it was not as successful as 'The Last Emperor.' 'The Sheltering Sky' tells the adventurous story of an American couple in the desert, exploring both the exotic local culture and sexuality. This theme recurs in Bertolucci's works, which was also addressed in his later films, including 'Stealing Beauty' and 'The Dreamers.' In 'The Dreamers,' the exploration of sexuality was narrated against a backdrop of political and social protests of the time, presenting a bold narrative of moral taboos like his other films. In recent years, Bertolucci, due to the severity of his illness, was in a wheelchair but still attended cinematic events, including serving as the president of the jury at the Venice Film Festival in 2013. He had also received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at this festival in 2007. His last film, the coming-of-age drama 'Me and You,' was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, telling the story of a reclusive teenager and his drug-addicted sister. Bernardo Bertolucci traveled to Iran in 1966 while making a documentary about oil.