Visconti was born in a wealthy Milanese family. Overwhelmed by the fascist cultural atmosphere he moves to Paris, where he starts studying and working with Jean Renoir as a director's assistant. He comes back to Italy to debut with Ossessione in 1943 which ranks him as one of neorealism's leading authors with films such as La terra trema, 1948 and Bellissima, 1951. His film making career continues on double track with his theatrical director carreer, with films such as Senso, 1954, Le notti bianche, 1957, Il Gattopardo, 1963, Morte a Venezia, 1971, which takes him beyond his initial neorealistic imprint.
