La ricotta (Cheese Curd)
Date: 1963 1964
Region: Europe
Subject: Religious
Medium: Film Video
Artist: Pierpaolo Pasolini (1922 - 1975)
Confronting Bodies: Italian Commission on film censorship
Dates of Action: March 1, 1963
Location: Italy
Description of Artwork: La ricotta, one of the three episodes of the movie Rogopag, narrates the story of Stracci, a Roman proletarian that works as an extra in a movie where there is represented the crucifixion of Christ. Stracci dies on the cross at the end of the movie. The director in La ricotta is played by Orson Welles. The other episodes of Rogopagwere directed by Godard and by Rossellini and not affected by censorship.
The Incident: The movie was taken out of distribution and accused of "offense to the State religion." It was the first time that a movie was accused not of "offense to the audience", but to the religion. In this way, I feel, the State substituted the Church in the defense of public morals.
Results of Incident: Pasolini was condemned to 4 months of jail but was exonerated one year later on appeal. Nevertheless, to go back into distribution, the movie was cut. The title was changed into Laviamoei il cervello, and some dialogue was changed. In November 1964, the movie was put back into distribution with the changes.
Source: Caterina Borelli, (from the book, I Film De Pierpaolo Pasolini, published by Gremese, written by Luciano De Giusti, second edition, 1985 )
