Pasolini, Pier Paolo (1922–1975)

Italian film director, poet, and novelist. From his Marxist viewpoint, he illustrated the decadence and inequality of society, set in a world ravaged by violence and sexuality. Among his films are Il vangelo secondo Mateo/The Gospel According to St Matthew (1964), The Decameron (1970), I racconti de Canterbury/The Canterbury Tales (1972), and Salò/Salo – The 120 Days of Sodom (1975).

Pasolini's early work is coloured by his experience of life in the poor districts of Rome, where he lived from 1950. His writings include the novels Ragazzi di vita/The Ragazzi (1955) and Una vita violenta/A Violent Life (1959), filmed as Accattone (1961).