Medea

Pier Paolo Pasolini electrifies the myth of Medea (seduced and betrayed by Jason, she takes drastic measures to extract her revenge) with a mixture of ritual theatre and social anthropology. Maria Callas is riveting in the title role, giving a profoundly expressive performance as the deranged sorceress. Under Pasolini’s direction, the plight of colonised cultures is symbolised by Medea as she surrenders to the foreign intruder, betrays the secrets of her people and, in doing so, is driven to madness and murder.