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Marco Bellocchio

Marco Bellocchio

Director, writer, actor and producer · Born November 9, 1939 (86) · Bobbio, Piacenza, Italy

2 Cannes awards · 10 Venice awards · 4 Berlinale awards

Marco Bellocchio (Italian: [ˈmarko belˈlɔkkjo]; born 9 November 1939; Bobbio) is an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor. Born in Bobbio, near Piacenza, Marco Bellocchio had a strict Catholic upbringing – his father was a lawyer, his mother a schoolteacher. He began studying philosophy in Milan but then decided to enter film school, making his first film, Fists in the Pocket, (I pugni in tasca, winner of the Silver Sail at the 1965 Festival del film Locarno), funded by family members and shot on family property, in 1965. Bellocchio's films include China Is Near (1967), Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina (Slap the Monster on Page One) (1972), Nel Nome del Padre (In the name of the Father – a satire on a Catholic boarding school that shares affinities with Lindsay Anderson's If....) (1972), Victory March (1976), A Leap in the Dark (1980), Henry IV (1984), Devil in the Flesh (1986), and My Mother's Smile (2002), which told the story of a wealthy Italian artist, a 'default-Marxist and atheist', who suddenly discovers that the Vatican is proposing to make his detested mother a saint. In 1991 he won the Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival for his film The Conviction. In 1995 he directed a documentary about the Red Brigades and the kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro, titled Broken Dreams. In 2003, he directed a feature film on the same theme, Good Morning, Night. In 2006 his film The Wedding Director was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. In 1999, he was awarded with an Honorable Prize for the contribution to cinema at the 21st Moscow International Film Festival. In 2009 he directed Vincere, which was in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival. He finished Sorelle Mai, an experimental film that was shot over ten years with the students of six separate workshops playing themselves. He was awarded with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September 2011. His 2012 film Dormant Beauty was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival.[6] On 6 September 2012, Bellocchio condemned the Catholic Church's interference in politics after the premiere of his controversial film about a high-profile euthanasia case. The film approaches the topic of euthanasia and the difficulty with legislation on end of life in Italy, which has Vatican City within its borders. The subject is inspired by Eluana Englaro's case. Following the decision of the jury of the Venice Film Festival, which excluded the film from the Golden Lion, Bellocchio has expressed strong criticism against President Michael Mann.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 9, 1939 (86)
From
Bobbio, Piacenza, Italy
Works as
Director, writer, actor and producer
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 87 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 13% in 30 days

What are Marco Bellocchio's films like?

Across their 18 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Light 2 · Serious 3 · Dark 12

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 2

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 6 · Intense 7

Steady 8 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced 16 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 0

Casual 2 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 5

Easy watch 2 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 14

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 6

Roles they play

1 analyzed role

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
15
Tense
9
Contemplative
9
Bittersweet
4
Dread
2
Other
9

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Bittersweet12
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Marco Bellocchio's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on MUBI (2).

Subscription and free streaming for Marco Bellocchio's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

87 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page; 27 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Rosebush Pruning(2026)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
  • Portobello(2025)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
  • La nostra magnifica ossessione - Bernardo Bertolucci e la sua generazione (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • The Time It Takes(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
  • Battlefield (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Producer

  • If I May - Chapter II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Writer

  • The Life Apart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Lo Spazio Inquieto (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Exterior Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Creator · Story · Writer

  • Esterno Notte - Seconda Parte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Esterno Notte - Prima Parte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • If I May (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director · Idea · Screenplay · Story · Writer

  • Marx Can Wait(2021)

    Director · Writer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
  • The Traitor(2019)

    Director · Screenplay · Screenstory

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
  • The Fight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Writer

  • All for a Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Sweet Dreams(2016)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films
  • La mia casa e i miei coinquilini - Il lungo viaggio di Joyce Lussu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Clowns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Filmstudio, mon amour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Sé stesso

  • Blood of My Blood(2015)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Tutte le storie di Piera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Caro Paolo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Actor

  • Fragments (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Thanks

  • Dormant Beauty(2012)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • It Was the Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Thanks

  • Sorelle Mai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Idea · Screenplay · Story · Writer

  • Franco Cristaldi e il suo cinema Paradiso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Vincere(2009)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Sorelle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Writer

  • The Wedding Director (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · Idea · Producer · Screenplay · Story · Writer

  • Materia e visione (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Writer

  • A Need for Change: The Making of 'Fists in the Pocket' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Slef

  • Behind Love and Anger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Thanks · as Self - Director (segment "Discutiamo, discutiamo")

  • Radio West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Writer

  • Good Morning, Night(2003)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • The Spring of 2002 - Italy Protests, Italy Stops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • My Mother's Smile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Painter · Producer · Screenplay · Actor

  • A un millimetro dal cuore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Farewell to the Past (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Notes for a Movie About Uncle Vania (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Writer

  • Today is a Beautiful Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Writer

  • A Thread of Passion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Writer

  • Nina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Writer

  • Fresco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Writer

  • The Choir Master (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Writer

  • The Nanny(1999)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
  • Alfabeto italiano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

  • The Prince of Homburg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Elena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Writer

  • Celebrate Cinema 101 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Rome, November 12, 1994 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • Broken Dreams: Reasoning and Delirium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Writer

  • The Butterfly's Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director · Producer

  • The Man with the Flower in His Mouth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Writer

  • The Conviction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Witches' Sabbath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Devil in the Flesh(1986)

    Director · Story · Writer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
  • Henry IV (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Eyes, the Mouth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Vacation in Val Trebbia(1980)

    Director · Writer · as Il marito

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
  • Mouth Harmonica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Screenplay

  • A Leap in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • La macchina cinema (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · Writer · as Self

  • The Cinema Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director · Writer · Actor

  • The Seagull (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director · Screenplay · Actor

  • Victory March (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director · Writer

  • Fit to Be Untied (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director · as Himself (uncredited)

  • Tutto in comune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Slap the Monster on Page One(1972)

    Director · as Compagno che incita alla calma (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • Planet Venus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Writer · Actor

  • N.P. - The Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Predicatore (voce)

  • In the Name of the Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director · Writer

  • Love and Anger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director · Writer · as Lecturer (segment "Discutiamo, discutiamo")

  • Long Live the 1st Red and Proletarian May (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The Calabrian People Raised Their Heads (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • China Is Near (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Director · Writer

  • Francis of Assisi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as Pietro di Stacia

  • Fists in the Pocket(1965)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
  • Ginepro Became a Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Writer

  • Down with Uncle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director · Writer

  • Culpability and Punishment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Falcon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • If I May - Chapter III (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Majesty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 87 titles, 84 of them dated from 1961 to 2026.

Film career

  • 1969Screen debut· Love and Anger

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting20 of 87: 13 only acting, 7 with another roleDirecting62 of 87: 5 only directing, 57 with another role · typical Midcredits score77thWriting61 of 87: 5 only writing, 56 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndProducing13 of 87: 2 only producing, 11 with another roleEditing1 of 87: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew6 of 87: 3 only other crew, 3 with another role

87 titles, 59 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 54 of them.

By decade

1960s9 · 2 acting · 8 crew1970s10 · 6 acting · 8 crew1980s7 · 1 acting · 7 crew1990s10 · crew2000s19 · 4 acting · 16 crew2010s15 · 5 acting · 10 crew2020s14 · 2 acting · 12 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

16 major awards from 36 major nominations, 1965–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Cannes award, nominated
  2. 2021
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  3. 2019
    • Cannes award, nominated
  4. 2018
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 2015
    • Venice award, won · Competition
    • Venice award, nominated ×2
  6. 2012
    • Venice award, won
    • Venice award, nominated
  7. 2011
    • Venice award, won
  8. 2009
    • Cannes award, nominated
Show 15 earlier years
  1. 2006
    • Cannes award, nominated
    • Venice award, won
  2. 2003
    • Venice award, won · Best Film
    • Venice award, won · Best Screenplay
    • Venice award, won
    • Venice award, nominated · Best Film
  3. 2002
    • Cannes award, won
    • Cannes award, nominated
  4. 1999
    • Cannes award, nominated
  5. 1997
    • Cannes award, nominated
  6. 1994
    • Cannes award, nominated
  7. 1991
    • Berlinale award, won · Special Jury Prize
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  8. 1984
    • Cannes award, nominated
  9. 1982
    • Venice award, nominated
  10. 1980
    • Cannes award, nominated
  11. 1979
    • Berlinale award, won · Forum of New Cinema
  12. 1975
    • Berlinale award, won ×2 · Forum of New Cinema
  13. 1969
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  14. 1967
    • Venice award, won ×2
    • Venice award, nominated
  15. 1965
    • Venice award, won

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Marco Bellocchio's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72nd percentile, the median of all 15; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 75th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Reviewers score the atmosphere 76/100 and the pacing 41/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Marco Bellocchio's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 63 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles49–77 · median 72 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 59 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Marco Bellocchio work with?

People who share at least 2 of Marco Bellocchio's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Francesca Calvelli shares the most, 10.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles