Pier Paolo Pasolini was a renowned Italian poet, novelist, motion-picture director, playwright and political figure. Having discovered a passion for the arts early in life, he was able to move seamlessly between drawing, painting, writing, poetry and filmmaking. A published poet at the age of nineteen, he went on produce some memorable poetry collections. Like his novels, his films too focused on the imperfect yet relatable youths from the borgate (Rome’s slums) of his time. To capture that neorealistic authenticity, he often enrolled non-professional actors to play certain roles, and used the power of classical music to add texture to the complexity of dramatic scenes in his feature films. His filmmaking style was very direct, and it dealt with a lot of controversial issues like sexual taboos, religion and politics. A champion of modern linguistic theory that he was, his idea of directing a film was akin to making true poetry, which therefore required reality to be expressed through scenes that felt untainted and visceral. His interpretation of Marxism and Catholic values remained a recurring theme in his works of art; he would often label himself a Catholic Communist. Being an avowed homosexual, however, meant that he had to endure several court cases and threats to his livelihood and well-being throughout his adult life.