Remembering Marcello Gatti

Marcello Gatti was born on February 9, 1924 in Rome, Italy. Gatti started as film operator in early 1940s, then debuted as a cinematographer in 1953. In 1943 he was sentenced to five years in prison, then turned into exile, for having defaced a portrait of Benito Mussolini hung on the walls of Cinecittà.

 
He is probably best known for his collaboration with director Gillo Pontecorvo, especially for the experimental cinematography of “The Battle of Algiers” (1966), that was inspired by the cinéma vérité theory. He went on to win five Silver Ribbon for Best Cinematography. He also worked, among others, with Roman Polanski, Nanni Loy, Damiano Damiani, Eriprando Visconti, Luigi Zampa, George P. Cosmatos and Sergio Corbucci. Gatti was the longtime president of the Italian Association of cinematographers (Aic).
 
Gatti was cinematographer on three Euro-westerns: “The Ruthless Colt of the Gringo” (1965), “The Tall Women” (1966) and “Bastard Go and Kill” (1971).
 
Marcello passed away on November 26, 2013. He was 89 years-old.
 
We remember Marcello Gatti on what would have been his 90^th birthday.