Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922–1975) was an Italian poet, novelist, essayist, and director whose work bridged neorealist roots and a defiantly heretical late-modernist sensibility. A celebrated writer before turning to film, he debuted with Accattone, set among the Roman sub-proletariat, and went on to make features that ranged across the Gospels, Greek tragedy, medieval literature, and contemporary politics. His confrontational engagement with sexuality, religion, and consumer culture made him one of postwar Italy's most contentious public figures. His acclaimed films include Accattone, The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Theorem, Medea, the Trilogy of Life, and Salò.