Robert De Niro appeared at Piazza San Cosimato in Rome on Monday, July 13, to present the restored version of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Novecento on the film’s 50th anniversary.
Organised by Fondazione Piccolo America as part of the 12th edition of Il Cinema in Piazza, the event brought De Niro to the Trastevere neighbourhood for a free open-air screening of Novecento – Atto I. The actor joined writer and film scholar Antonio Monda and Fondazione Piccolo America president Valerio Carocci for a conversation before the screening.
Remembering Bernardo Bertolucci
Robert De Niro recalled being immediately impressed by the screenplay, while admitting that Bertolucci’s working methods initially surprised him. He remembered filming scenes in which he and Gérard Depardieu played older versions of their characters early in production, before returning to reshoot them towards the end.
Accustomed to a more sequential approach, De Niro initially found the director’s process disorienting. However, the experience became an important chapter in his career and contributed to a film that remains closely connected to Bertolucci’s international legacy.
The conversation during the evening was also centred on how Novecento moved beyond its historical setting to become part of both cinematic and popular culture. Through the parallel lives of landowner Alfredo, played by De Niro, and agricultural worker Olmo, played by Depardieu, the film explores class division, fascism, inequality and the political transformations of 20th-century Italy.
Half a century after its original release in 1976, Novecento continues to resonate through its exploration of class conflict, fascism, inequality and political change. Robert De Niro’s appearance at Piazza San Cosimato reinforced the film’s lasting place in Italian and international cinema, while also highlighting the importance of restoring landmark works and bringing them back to audiences in accessible public settings.
