Pier Paolo Pasolini

“An artist, if he's unselfish and passionate, is always a living protest.” Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual Pier Paolo Pasolini, remained a contentious figure as his work often exposed socio-political polemics in an uncompromising and often provocative fashion. Throughout his career, he underwent significant artistic evolution, transitioning from poetry and literature to filmmaking as his primary medium of expression. His films were characterized by a raw and unflinching portrayal of reality, blending elements of neorealism with poetic symbolism, allegory, and religious imagery. His early films, such as "Accattone" (1961) and "Mamma Roma" (1962), explored the struggles of marginalized communities in post-war Italy, laying the groundwork for his later masterpieces like "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" (1964) and "Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom" (1975), which delved deeper into religious, political and sexual themes in an extremely graphic and critical manner. His outspoken views on taboo subjects garnered both admiration and condemnation and he remains a major figure in European literature, cinema and politics.