Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922-1972) was an Italian filmmaker and writer known for his defiance of the political, social, and artistic status quos of postwar Italy. In his work across mediums, he broached taboo topics in relation to sexuality, religion, and the condition of the poor. In the 1950s, he became well-known in Italy for his novels and poetry, winning the Viareggio Prize for the latter in 1957. In the 1960s and 70s, he was catapulted to international fame for his films, including The Gospel According to Saint Matthew, Mamma Roma, Sal , Oedipus Rex, and The Hawks and the Sparrows.
"""Pier Paolo Pasolini...wants to tell us the tale of a miracle in the desecrated modern world. The mysterious and attractive young man who comes to visit the bourgeois family is a god, and [Theorem] recounts what miracles occur when a god appears in the lives of mortals."" —Alberto Moravia ""Theorem...evinces [Pasolini's] seemingly irreconcilable allegiances to Marx, Freud, and Jesus Christ."" —James Quandt ""Pasolini…undertakes both a sensual odyssey and an incisive critique of the lack of social conscience of the Italian bourgeoisie in his 1969 novel…This is a penetrating exploration of existential meaning."" —Publishers Weekly"