Profezia. L’Africa di Pasolini

An essayistic documentary about famous Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s love for Africa, and how his vision of that continent relates to today, 38 years after his death. In Pasolini’s view, Africa extended into the poor neighbourhoods of the European cities, meaning that this film also throws light on his vision of Europe and the place of foreigners in Europe. The suburbs around Rome, where Pasolini shot his first film Accattone, were in Pasolini’s eyes then already part of Africa, owing to the countless immigrants living there.
He had an idealised impression of Africa, believing that there was still an authenticity to be found, as well as a revolutionary potential that, in his view, had been lost in Europe. The documentary follows Pasolini’s development through his films, but also through his life and encounters (for example, with Jean-Paul Sartre), resulting in an intriguing look at his ‘prophecies’ about life in Africa and Europe.