He began working on film as assistant director to his brother Bernardo Bertolucci’s film Strategia del ragno. He also worked with his brother on screenplays for films Novecento and La luna. In 1977 he made his debut with Berlinguer ti voglio bene, starring Roberto Benigni. In 1986, he made Tuttobenigni also with Benigni. Afterwards he made the comedy I cammelli, shown in Venice and Troppo sole (1944). He also dealt with the world of women in his films Oggetti smariti (1979), Segreti segreti (1984) and Il dolce rumore della vita (1999). During his career he directed many documentaries and TV films. In 2006 at the 63rd Venice Film Festival he presented his documentary Pasolini prossimo nostro in which he used photographs from the set of Salň e le 120 giornate di Sodoma and an old very long interview with Pasolini by the journalist Gideona Bachmana.