directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini: 40th Anniversary
Anna Magnani
is Mamma Roma, a middle-aged prostitute who attempts to extricate herself from
her sordid past for the sake of her son. Filmed in the great tradition of
Italian neorealism, Mamma Roma offers
an unflinching look at the struggle for survival in postwar Italy, and
highlights director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s lifelong fascination with the
marginalized and dispossessed. Though banned upon its release in Italy for
obscenity, today Mamma Roma remains a
classic, featuring a powerhouse performance by one of cinema’s greatest
actresses and offering a glimpse at a country’s most controversial director in
the process of finding his style.