Bertolucci was born on March 16, 1940 in Parma, Italy into an atmosphere of comfort and intellectualism. His father, a poet, anthologist, film critic and art history professor, encouraged Bernardo's childhood interest in films by frequently taking him to film screenings. At the age of fifteen Bertolucci made two short films about children, but was also gaining respect throughout Italy as a writer. His first book, In Search of Mystery (In Cerca del Mistero), won the Premio Viareggio, one of the top literary awards in Italy. At the University of Rome (1958-1961) Bertolucci began his film career as an assistant director to Pier Paolo Pasolini. Following his work on Pasolini's Accattone, Bertolucci left the University of Rome without graduating and embarked on an independent study ..[Full version]