TEHRAN – The Cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) screened a restored version of Italian film director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1964 movie “The Gospel According to St. Matthew” on Monday. 

The screening was followed by a review session by Iranian critic Parviz Jahed.

“The Gospel According to St. Matthew” (Italian: “Il Vangelo secondo Matteo”) is a landmark film that redefines biblical storytelling through a stark, realistic lens. An epic biblical drama, the film chronicles the life of Jesus Christ from his birth to his resurrection, offering a contemplative portrayal rooted in the Gospel of Matthew.

In line with the Italian neorealist tradition, Pasolini chose to cast non-professional actors, emphasizing authenticity and raw emotion. Filmed entirely on-location in Southern Italy, the movie captures the region’s landscapes, villages, and people, immersing viewers in a tangible, everyday world that contrasts sharply with traditional Hollywood biblical epics. 

Pasolini’s decision to use the actual text of Matthew’s Gospel for the dialogue underscores his belief that “images could never reach the poetic heights of the text,” aiming to preserve the sacredness and poetic depth of the scripture.

Pasolini specifically selected Matthew’s Gospel over others because he found it more suitable for cinematic adaptation: he regarded John’s Gospel as too mystical, Mark’s as too vulgar, and Luke’s as overly sentimental. This choice reflects his desire to craft a film that is both spiritually sincere and artistically restrained.

The film premiered at the 25th Venice International Film Festival in 1964, where it received critical acclaim, winning the Grand Jury Prize, the OCIC Award, and the Silver Lion. It was also nominated for three Oscars—Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Score—and later recognized by the Vatican’s L’Osservatore Romano as the best film ever made about Christ. Over the years, it has been hailed as a classic of world cinema and a defining work within the neorealist genre.

Critics praised the film’s artistic depth and spiritual authenticity. The film received widespread acclaim, reflected in its high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes (92 percent) and inclusion in numerous top film lists, including the Vatican’s list of great films and Roger Ebert’s Great Movies. Notably, the acclaimed Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky admired the film.

The influence of “The Gospel According to St. Matthew” endures as a powerful, poetic, and politically aware retelling of the life of Christ, blending religious reverence with neorealist aesthetics to create a timeless cinematic masterpiece.

Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922–1975) was an influential Italian poet, filmmaker, writer, actor, and playwright, regarded as a major public intellectual of 20th-century Italy. He was a controversial figure due to his direct style. His brutal, unsolved murder in 1975 shocked Italy, with recent investigations suggesting a contract killing linked to organized crime and far-right terrorism.

SAB/