Portfolio Pier Paolo Pasolini

 (March 5 1922–1975)

Accattone 1961

 Born in Bologna in 1922, Pier Paolo Pasolini was one of the most controversial European intellectuals of his time.

Accattone 1961

Accattone 1961

Accattone 1961

Accattone 1961

Il vangelo secondo Matteo 1964

Medea 1969

Pasolini believed the ‘authentic’ Italy, with its many languages and subcultures, its ancient roots and idiosyncrasies, to be disappearing before his eyes, and he used his films to denounce the social and ideological forces he felt were responsible for this detrimental change. Yet rather than campaign with overtly political films, Pasolini vested ideological impetus in key film characters immersed in real or mythical settings. While numerous male figures were central to the expression of his world view, women and the female sphere were equally and uniquely important for understanding and solving the dilemma he perceived. Through his female figures onscreen, he was able to critique the ruling class from a decisively different perspective and propose a range of alternatives to the increasingly sterile and capitalistic world of Italy and the West.

In his fifteen years as director, Pasolini made films that were diverse in genre and intent. They included realistic accounts of slum life in postwar Rome, autobiographical adaptations of classical myths, and both fictional and documentary reflections on the spread of neo-capitalism in Italy and the Western world. While Pasolini’s ideological message always remained secondary to his artistic goals, each of his films clearly demonstrated a civic dimension that resonated with the broader viewing public.

(Colleen Ryan-Scheutz)

 

Pasolini & Anna Magnani filming Mama Roma 1962