Pasolini concludes his Trilogy of Life with this triumphant adaptation of Arabian Nights. Framed by the story of a young man’s quest for his beloved, the film was shot amidst the maze-like streets, mirrored palaces, bustling bazaars, and ancient cloisters of Yemen, Nepal, Iran, and Ethiopia. In these ancient sites, Pasolini searches for an intoxicating sexuality he finds no longer present in European nations.

Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini. Cast: Ninetto Davoli, Ines Pellegrini, Franco Citti, Franco Merli. 1974. 129 min. Italy. Color. Italian, Arabic. 35mm. Print from Cinecittà. 

All film screenings of Carnal Knowledge: The Films of Pier Paolo Pasolini are available here.

Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation.