Qhis evening, at 21.45 on Rai 3, it will be on air Pasolini’s women, docu-film by Eugenio Cappuccio in which Joseph Battiston tells the life of the director and poet starting from five female figures who represented as many five fundamental encounters.
Pasolini’s women: the doc in the first tv on Rai 3
Co-produced by Rai, Pasolini’s women wants to be first a vehicle for making the extraordinary figure of the poet and director known, especially to the new generations Friulian. By crossing different languages - archive materials, interviews and fiction – the docu-film evokes the extraordinary personality of Pasolini also thanks to five actresses which recall the same female figures that have marked the life and imagination of the poet.
Starting from mother Susanna Colussi (Anna Ferruzzo) to then continue with Giovanna Bemporad (Sara Mafodda), Laura Betti (Martina Massaro), Oriana Fallaci (Liliana Massari) and, dulcis in fundo, Maria Callas (Carolina D’Altiero). To further enrich the documentary directed by Eugenio Cappuccio, also the testimonies of friends Dacia MarainiEmanuele Trevi and Liliana Cavani.
A scene from the documentary “Pasolini’s women”. (Courtesy Mongini Comunicazioni/Rai Documentaries)
Pasolini and the feminine
Fascinated by strong and nonconformist personalitiesPier Paolo Pasolini is always surrounded by passionate women and able to tune into his sensibility as an artist. Real platonic loves which punctuated the poet’s life until his tragic death in 1975. A special place deserves the poet’s mother Susanna with which he had a almost symbiotic relationship made up of daily phone calls and to which he dedicated some of his most beautiful poems.
With Giovanna Bemporad instead, a Jewish poet, Pier Paolo forged a very strong bond when both were students at the University of Bologna and who would follow him to Friuli when, after graduating, Pasolini moved to teach in a high school. With Oriana Fallacithe director had numerous ideological clashes but the affection and esteem he had for the journalist was unshakeable.
Laura Betti and Pier Paolo Pasolini. (RCS archive)
Laura Bettisort of his female alter ego, was instead one of Pasolini’s most loved actresses and she who introduced him into the Roman intellectual salons. A visceral affection that, after Pasolini’s death, will never cease, also thanks to the Pasolini Foundation that Betti wanted very much to create. And finally Maria Callasprotagonist of Medea in 1969, which he fell madly in love, perhaps reciprocated but not carnally, by Pasolini.
The presence of Giuseppe Battiston
The search for an unprecedented look at Pasolini’s poetics is entrusted to the actor Joseph Battiston who, from Friulian doc, retraces the territories lived by the poet. Collecting the voices of the people who live there and knew him. «I simply try to restart from these beloved campaigns timeless and from its roots» said Battiston «Roots that are in these places but also and above all in a woman: her mother».
Again with Battiston, the docu-film tackles the fundamental turning points of Pasolini’s life: from the economic difficulties of the family during childhood, the difficult relationship with his father and with his own homosexualitythe wholly personal link with religion and his own “second life” in Rome. From the first literary successes to the discovery of cinema in the 60s up to thefriendship with TotoAlberto Moravia, Ninetto Davoliand Eduardo De Filippo.
An extraordinary life that, unfortunately, came to an end a cold November night in 1975. When Pasolini came barbarously killed by Pino Pelosia boy who was a prostitute and who he beat the poet to death at the seaplane base of Ostia.
iO Woman © REPRODUCTION RESERVED