--- title: "Tinto Brass Dies: Italian Director of 'The Key' and 'Salon Kitty' Passes Away in Rome at 93" description: "Italian director Tinto Brass, who helmed 'Caligula', 'The Key', and 'Salon Kitty', died in Rome on November 4, 2026, at the age of 93. His death was confirmed by his wife and children; the family is planning a private farewell." date: 2026-11-04T14:10:11.363Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tinto-brass-dies-italian-director-key-salon-kitty tags: [tinto-brass, italian-cinema, director-death, erotic-cinema, caligula] author: "Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Tinto Brass Dies: Italian Director of 'The Key' and 'Salon Kitty' Passes Away in Rome at 93 ![Italian film director Tinto Brass smiling while wearing a grey jacket and scarf](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/umer-tinto-brass-rezhisser-klucha-i-salona-kitti/umer-tinto-brass-rezhisser-klucha-i-salona-kitti-1.webp) ## Key Points - Tinto Brass passed away on November 4, 2026, in Rome at age 93; death confirmed by wife Caterina Varzi and children. - The family plans to hold the funeral in a tight private circle. - Brass directed over 30 films and is known as a master of intellectual erotic cinema: 'Caligula', 'Salon Kitty', 'The Key'. - In September 2026, the Venice Film Festival screened a 4K version of his 1967 film, and he received the Pietro Bianchi Award this year. Italian film director and screenwriter Tinto Brass passed away on November 4, 2026, in Rome at the age of 93. This was reported by the Italian news agency ANSA, citing a statement from the director's family. Brass entered world cinema history as one of the most prominent creators of intellectual erotic cinema, having directed over 30 films, including 'Caligula', 'Salon Kitty', and 'The Key'. ### Family Confirmation and Funeral Plans The news of his death was confirmed by the director's wife, Caterina Varzi, as well as his children, Bonifacio and Beatrice Brass. According to RIA Novosti, the family plans to hold a private funeral in a tight circle without broad publicity. According to ANSA reports, Brass passed away on Wednesday morning at approximately 10:30 in Rome. ### From Lawyer to Filmmaker The director's real name is Giovanni Brass. He was born on March 26, 1933, in Milan. After receiving a law degree, he moved to Paris in 1957, where he collaborated with the French Cinematheque. His directorial debut took place in 1963; his early works were associated with avant-garde, satire, comedies, and political cinema. Over time, Brass focused on the erotic genre, ultimately establishing himself as an auteur who created his own recognizable style. ### Erotica and Scandals: The 'Caligula' Case Among Brass's best-known works are 'Salon Kitty' (1976), 'Caligula' (1979), 'The Key' (1983), 'Miranda' (1985), 'Paprika' (1991), 'All Ladies Do It' (1992), and 'The Voyeur' (1994). A special place is held by 'Caligula', a provocative film about the life and vices of Ancient Rome that faced censorship cuts and bans. Producer Bob Guccione re-edited the picture and added explicit scenes without the director's knowledge, causing Brass to refuse to acknowledge the final version of the film as his own. ### Recognition in 2026 Brass's work was honored in September 2026 at the Venice Film Festival: before the official opening, a 4K-restored version of his 1967 film 'Col cuore in gola' was screened. In the same year, the director became a laureate of the Pietro Bianchi Award, presented by the National Union of Italian Film Journalists. ### Final Years In April 2010, Brass suffered a severe stroke, after which he stopped directing films; his last feature was a 2009 work. Nevertheless, the director occasionally continued to appear in public and in films as an actor, remaining a prominent figure in Italian cinema until the end of his life. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Умер культовый режиссер Тинто Брасс](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/stars/pomer-kultoviy-rezhiser-tinto-brass-1793800695.html) - Date and place of death, age, family confirmation, biography, the 'Caligula' case, Venice 4K version, and Pietro Bianchi award. - [Умер культовый режиссер эротических фильмов Тинто Брасс](https://riamo.ru/news/kultura/umer-kultovyj-rezhisser-eroticheskih-filmov-tinto-brass/) - Time of death (~10:30), ANSA, wife Varzi's name, children, birth date, genre range, filmography. - [Умер автор скандальной "Калигулы": Тинто Брассу было 93 года](https://www.zakon.kz/kultura-shoubiz/6537492-umer-avtor-skandalnoy-kaliguly-tinto-brassu-bylo-93-goda.html) - Date November 4, 2026, private funeral (RIA Novosti), film list with years, 2010 stroke, and 2009 last picture. ## FAQ ### When and where did Tinto Brass die? On November 4, 2026, in Rome, at approximately 10:30 according to ANSA reports. He was 93 years old. ### What is the director's real name? Giovanni Brass; born on March 26, 1933, in Milan. ### What is Tinto Brass famous for? He directed over 30 films and is considered one of the main creators of intellectual erotic cinema; famous works include 'Caligula', 'Salon Kitty', 'The Key', 'Miranda', 'Paprika'. ### What happened with the film 'Caligula'? Producer Bob Guccione re-edited the film and added explicit scenes without Brass's knowledge, leading the director to disown the final version. ### When did Brass stop directing films? Following a severe stroke in April 2010; his last picture was a 2009 work.