Marco Bellocchio

“The great advantage of first films is that you're nobody and have no history, you have the freedom to risk everything.” Marco Bellocchio is one of the most respected directors and screenwriters in Italian cinema. Born in the city of Bobbio, Italy, at the age of twenty he moved to London to study film at the Slade School of Fine Arts. In 1965, he debuted with his first film, Fists in the Pocket, shot in his hometown, where he began to define his cinematic identity: a strong political commitment and a critical look at society. He has always been faithful to his critical and anti-conformist spirit, confronting the Church and exploring themes related to psychoanalysis. Among his most outstanding works are China is Near (1967), In the Name of the Father (1971), Devil in the Flesh (1986), based on the book by Raymond Radiguet, My Mother's Smile (2002), Good Morning, Night (2003) and Vincere (2009), about the life of Ida Dalser, Mussolini's lover. He also runs Farecinema, a film teaching laboratory and film festival in his hometown. Bellocchio has demonstrated an unwavering ability to reinvent himself without losing his essence.