Born Eraclio Petri in Rome, Italy; educated at the University of Rome (literature). Former critic who turned out a handful of documentaries and contributed to the scripts of several films (notably by Guiseppe De Santis) before directing his first feature in 1961. Petri used stylish visuals and a knack for finely paced storytelling to communicate his pointed social and political satire. His best films include THE TENTH VICTIM (1965), a futuristic fantasy in which men and women are trained to kill each other for sport; INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION (1970), an Oscar®-winning parable about a Fascist police chief; and LULU THE TOOL (1972), a complex and absorbing account of a factory worker's political awakening.  Nominated for Writing (Best Story and Screenplay based on factual material or material not previously published or produced) 1970: INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION (w. Ugo Pirro) 1 nomination