Marco Bellocchio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marco Bellocchio
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Bellocchio in 2010
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| Born | 9 November 1939 Bobbio, Italy
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| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, actor |
| Years active | 1962–present |
Marco Bellocchio (born 9 November 1939) is a famous Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is known for making movies that often explore important social and political ideas.
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Life and Career
Marco Bellocchio was born in Bobbio, a town near Piacenza, Italy. He grew up in a family with strong Catholic beliefs. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was a schoolteacher.
He first studied philosophy in Milan. But he soon decided that filmmaking was his true passion. He went to film schools in Milan and Rome, Italy. He also studied at the Slade School of Fine Art in London, England.
His very first film was called Fists in the Pocket. It came out in 1965. His family helped him pay for the movie. He even filmed it on his family's own property. This film won an award called the Silver Sail at the Locarno Film Festival.
His Films
Marco Bellocchio has directed many important films. Some of his early movies include China Is Near (1967) and Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (Slap the Monster on Page One) (1972). He also made Nel Nome del Padre (In the Name of the Father) in 1972. This film was a funny look at a Catholic boarding school.
In 2002, he directed My Mother's Smile. This movie was about a rich artist who finds out the Vatican wants to make his mother a saint.
He won a special award called the Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize in 1991. This was for his film The Conviction at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Bellocchio has also made films about important historical events in Italy. In 1995, he made a documentary called Broken Dreams. It was about the Red Brigades, a political group, and the kidnapping of Aldo Moro. Later, in 2003, he made a feature film on the same topic, called Good Morning, Night.
In 2006, his film The Wedding Director was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2009, he directed Vincere, which was also shown at Cannes.
He received a special award for his whole career in 1999. This was at the Moscow International Film Festival. In 2011, he won the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. This is a very high honor at the Venice International Film Festival.
His 2012 film Dormant Beauty was chosen to compete for the Golden Lion award. This film was inspired by a real-life legal case in Italy.
Getting Involved in Politics
Marco Bellocchio had a big impact on Italian cinema in the 1960s. He was friends with another famous director, Pier Paolo Pasolini. In 1968, he joined a political group. He started making movies that focused on political ideas and social issues.
He even ran for the Italian Parliament in 2006. He was part of a group of political parties. Bellocchio is an atheist, meaning he does not believe in God.
Personal Life
Marco Bellocchio has three children. His son, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, is with actress Gisella Burinato. He also has a daughter named Elena with his current partner, Francesca Calvelli. Francesca Calvelli also works as an editor for his films.
Awards and Recognition
Marco Bellocchio has won many important awards for his films.
- In 2021, he received an Honorary Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. This is a special award for his great contribution to cinema.
- He won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1991 for The Conviction.
- The Venice Film Festival gave him the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2011. This award celebrates his entire career.
- He has won the Best Director award four times. These wins were for A Leap in the Dark (1980), Vincere (2010), The Traitor (2020), and Exterior Night (2023).
- He also won the Best Screenplay award for The Traitor (2020).
- In 2014, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the David di Donatello awards.
- He has won the Nastro d'Argento award for Best Director three times. These were for My Mother's Smile (2003), The Traitor (2019), and Kidnapped (2023).
- He also won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Story for Fists in the Pocket (1966), China Is Near (1968), and My Mother's Smile (2002).
- He won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Screenplay for The Traitor (2019) and Kidnapped (2023).
See also
In Spanish: Marco Bellocchio para niños
