Francesco Barilli on Bernardo Bertolucci and Their Artistic Bond

Francesco Barilli, an Italian painter and actor, reflects on his lifelong friendship with filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, who died in 2018. Barilli recalls meeting Bertolucci in 1958 on Ponte Verdi in Parma, where they discussed cinema, painting, and local gossip. Their families, the Barillis and Bertoluccis, were the two artistic dynasties of the city. Bertolucci cast Barilli as the lead in his second film, "Prima della rivoluzione" (1964), now a cult classic. Barilli also worked with Bertolucci's cousin, producer Giovanni Bertolucci, who produced Barilli's first film, "Il profumo della signora in nero" (1974). Barilli interviewed Bertolucci for a documentary on Parma and cinema, "Poltrone rosse," selected at the Venice Film Festival and nominated for Nastri d'Argento. Barilli's artistic lineage includes his grandfather Latino Barilli and great-grandfather Cecrope Barilli, both painters. On February 9, 2019, Barilli opened a solo exhibition titled "Vagabondo di sogni" at Galleria San Ludovico in Parma, curated with the Assessorato alla Cultura, showcasing two years of work.