Born March 16, 1940, in Parma, Italy, Italian maestro Bernardo Bertolucci is renowned for infusing his often languidly paced films with a stunning visual style. The director attended Rome University and first found fame as a poet (his father was a well-known verser). He later served as assistant director for another master of cinema, Pier Paolo Pasolini.

In 1962, Bertolucci made his directorial debut with the feature La Commare Secca (The Grim Reaper). Bertolucci's stunning 1972 portrayal of infidelity and murder, Last Tango in Paris (starring Marlon Brando in peak form), thrust him into the front rank of directors.

He followed that up with 1900 (1976) and, 11 years later, finally won two Oscars for Best Direction and Best Adapted Screenplay for The Last Emperor. Other key films include The Sheltering Sky (1990), Stealing Beauty (1996), Besieged (1998) and The Dreamers (2003).