European Films

Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci will be the first and likely sole recipient of a special award at the upcoming Venice Film Festival: the Leone d’Oro del 75° or "Golden Lion of the 75th anniversary". The festival will bestow the special prize on the director on September 8, during the closing ceremony of the 64th edition of the festival that started 75 years ago (it was not held every year). Bertolucci was nominated four times for an Oscar and won twice: for writing and directing the 1988 Best Picture winner The Last Emperor. He has presented many of his films at Venice, starting with Pier Paolo Pasolini's Accatone in 1961, on which he was an assistant director, and his directorial debut La commare secca (The Grim Reaper) in 1962. 

 

Other films presented at Venice include Partner, Strategia del ragno and La luna. His most recent feature, The Dreamers from 2003, also premiered at Venice and in 1983 the Parma-born director was the head of the jury at the festival. Further noteworthy titles on his resume include Last Tango in Paris, Novecento and Il conformista.

 

Besides this year's Leone d’Oro del 75°, the festival will also award its customary Career Golden Lion, which will go this year to US director Tim Burton (Corpse Bride). The festival will open on August 29 with Joe Wright's Atonement and will run through September 8.