The Gospel According to Matthew. Screening of Pasolini's film

The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964) — 2h 17m
Sunday, March 15, 5:30 p.m.
Pantheon Theatre.
English with Greek subtitles.
Ticket: €5

Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1964 film brings the Gospel of Matthew to the screen with unusual literalism: the dialogues are taken entirely from the biblical text, and the narrative follows the life and sermons of Jesus, with a particular focus on speech, crowds, and conflicts.

Filmed on location in southern Italy and featuring mostly non-professional actors, the film places the sacred story in real landscapes and faces — not as an illustration, but as a lived historical reality.

The film's significance is largely due to its author: Pasolini — a Marxist, dissident, and provocateur — created one of the most important contemporary films about Christ, approaching the material with fidelity to the source and political seriousness.

The film was immediately recognized, winning a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, being nominated for three Oscars, and to this day being considered an important meeting point between religious text, contemporary cinema, and social reality — without simple reconciliations.