Born in Rome, the 24th of June 1940. In l960 he graduated as “Cinematographer” at “Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia” (Italian Film Institute). The moment of Cinematographic inception which had so long been unconsciously dreamt about, and consciously prepared, came in l968 with “GIOVINEZZA GIOVINEZZA” directed by Franco Rossi. This was the first film that gave Storaro a way of expressing himself completely, inserting in him all the photo-graphic concepts that are uniquely his, like a digital imprint of his photographic-figurative vision.
Directors like Luigi Bazzoni, Dario Argento, Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, Fabio Carpi, Salvatore Samperi, Giuliano Montaldo, Luca Ronconi, Michael Apted, John Harrison, Alfonso Arau, but mainly Bernardo Bertolucci, Francis Coppola, Warren Beatty, Carlos Saura brought him to a deeper cinematographic, stylistic maturity, which allowed him in time to develop a Conscious research on the expressive lighting possibilities of Images.
Storaro’s artistic expression was concentrated since the beginning on the possible use of WRITING with the LIGHT. He discovered the symbolic values of the COLOURS that it contains,dedicating himself at the study of the visualization of the ELEMENTS of LIFE. Recently his attention is addressed toward the creative intuition symbolaized by the MUSES and of the possible creative foreseen of the VISIONARY people.
He received several international awards but mainly the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Los Angeles has recognized his Cinematography with three Academy Awards (OSCARS) for the films: “APOCALYPSE NOW” directed by Francis Coppola, “REDS” by Warren Beatty and “THE LAST EMPEROR” by Bernardo Bertolucci.
Sevaral others Academies, for various Films, presented to him their recognition:
Italian (DAVID di DONATELLO), English (BAFTA), Spanish (GOYA), Television USA (EMMY), European (CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD)
He is awarded also as AMBASSADOR of the IMAGE of ROME.
He received 3 LAUREE HONORIS CAUSA from: The University of Lodz, Poland –
The University of Urbino, Italy – The Merith College of New York, USA.
He received 3 ACCADEMICO HONORIS CAUSA from: The Academy of Beaux Arts
of Macerata – Brera – Frosinone, Italy.
President of ITALIAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS – AIC – ( l988-1990)
Member of AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS A.S.C.
Member of EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION
Member of ACADEMY of MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES of Los Angeles.
Member of ITALIAN ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE
Member of S.I.A.E. as AUTHOR of PHOTOGRAPHY and FIGURATIVE ARTS
Honorary President of the ITALIAN ACADEMY OF LIGHT
President or Member of several worldwide INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
He received 35 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, particularly from:
CAMERIMAGE FILM FESTIVAL (Torun-Polonia)
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS (Los Angeles-USA)
TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL (Denver-USA)
LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL (Locarno-Svizzera)
THESSALONIKY FILM FESTIVAL (Thessaloniky-Grecia)
MACEDONIA FILM FESTIVAL (Bitola-Repubblica di Macedonia)
ITALIAN ASSOCIATION OF FILM CRITICS (Taormina-Italy) Etc… Etc…
He taught for ten years (1995-2004)”Writing with Light in Cinematography” at the
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY ARTS AND SCIENCES OF IMAGES in L’Aquila, Italy.
His dream, almost realized, is the publication of 6 books concerned his creative research
around the LIGHT-COLORS-ELEMENTS-MUSES-VISIONARY-PROPHETS.
A first trilogy is already published with the title”STORARO:WRITING WITH
LIGHT” from which was create a Photography Exibition with the same title.
His ambition is the international legislative recognition of the “AUTHOR’S
RIGHTS” as CO-AUTHOR OF THE FILM for all Cinematographers around the world.