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Pasolini 100

Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922-1975) is among the most interesting personalities of the twentieth century in Italy. Pasolini was an intellectual, a visionary whose analysis, declined in verses, paintings, novels, newspaper articles and literary critiques, theatrical or cinematographic directions, has examined society of his time and its future evolution, highlighting problems that would emerge decades after his tragic death, in Ostia, on the Roman coast, on November 2nd 1975. His roots were in Casarsa della Delizia, in the region of Friuli, in the north-eastern part of Italy, a place he left after a major scandal following a public complaint of his homosexuality; he thereby chose Rome where, despite the many difficulties, he soon entered literary groups and editorial teams becoming one of the most committed intellectuals also on social and civil issues, while continuing his research on the purity of language. In particular, his study focused on the Friulan dialect; likewise the most authentic Roman dialect called his attention and lead him to produce some of his most well-known works, both in literature and in cinematography.

 

However, public opinion often denigrated and marginalized his works, considering them fruit of a “deviation”, without understanding that Pasolini’s capacity to re-elaborate the whole western civilization showing its continuity and weaknesses, wanted to suggest new horizons to pursue and what to avoid.

 

He was critical of the consumer society, that would have brought to the homologation and loss of cultural identities, and of the student movements, wanting to bring attention to the riots that once again were a battle between the (future) ruling elite (the students) and the working class (policemen offspring of the proletariat).

 

Pier Paolo Pasolini distinguished himself with his clarity of thought and for his ability, given to few, to see beyond patterns and sides.

 

He devoted himself to cinema with the passion of a novice and amateur, as he would assert at the beginning of the filming of Accattone. Already a screenwriter for important films (with Mario Soldati for The River Girl (1955) with Federico Fellini for Nights of Cabiria (1960), with Mauro Bolognini in various films and Bernardo Bertolucci for The Grim Reaper), with Accattone he broke the schemes of neorealism, that had become practice with the repetition of the theme “poor but honest”, bringing onto the screens the urban underclass, a social stratum loathed by both the right and left parties, that lived by their wits on the margin of society, without a vision of social redemption. His cinematographic directions from then on saw him become more and more visionary and at the same time rooted in history and modern times with undisputed masterpieces such as The Hawks and the Sparrows (1965) Oedipus Rex (1967) Theorem (1968), Medea (1969), The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Salò or the 120 days of Sodom (released posthumously in 1976).

 

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italian Cultural Institute Hong Kong is glad to present a comprehensive retrospective including screening of his features and documentaries, photo exhibition of Tazio Secchiaroli and Pasolini; a joint seminar and book showcase.

 

 

Stay tuned for more details on each programme.

  • Organized by: Istituto Italiano di Cultura Hong Kong
  • In collaboration with: Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, Novalis Art Design