La Ricotta (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1962) is a 35-minute Italian short film starring the acclaimed Orson Welles, who plays the director (an exaggerated impersonation of Pasolini himself) of a production of the Passion of Jesus. The main character, however, is Stracci – a penurious and starving extra on the set of the film. After attempting to scavenge the set for food, Stracci eventually finds a bountiful amount of ricotta cheese that he immediately gorges on. This turns out to be a fatal mistake, as Stracci tragically but ironically dies on the set while being ‘crucified’.
The film’s primary objective is to serve as a social commentary for the marginalisation of the poor. Pasolini believed that the poor were neglected by a society that prided themselves on being Christian. Pasolini’s portrayal of a production of the Passion is his critique of a corrupt society that is merely interested in garnering superficial reputability. This is demonstrated to the viewer through the actors’ disinterest in the production itself and their lazy and tormenting behaviour during their breaks.
Pasolini incorporates a number of techniques throughout the film in order to create meaning. Stracci’s desperation for food is conveyed to the viewer through fast-motion footage of his dire runs for food, this exaggerated physical comedy being reminiscent of Buster Keaton. In addition, the film is shot in black and white for the majority of its runtime and colour is exclusively utilised to display the production of the Passion of Jesus.
Due to technical difficulties, I was originally unable to extrapolate any meaning from La Ricotta and thus did not receive any sort of enjoyment from the film. After conducting research, the film’s meaning ultimately demonstrated to me the effectiveness of social commentary within a short film.
Otis Morley’s A-Level Film Studies Blog 