The first film by Italy’s first female documentary filmmaker, Ignoti alla città prefigures what would become one of the most open, courageous and independent voices of Italian cinema. The documentary is an adaptation of Ragazzi di vita (1955), Pier Paolo Pasolini’s first novel – Cecilia Mangini collaborated with the writer for her first three films. With the off-screen voice of dubbing actor Pino Locchi reading Pasolini’s work, the film explores Rome’s slums and follows a few kids throughout their day, punctuated by occasional work, petty theft, playing football and sharing cigarettes. Like the book, which cost Pasolini and the publisher Garzanti an obscenity trial, Ignoti alla città was censored “because it is offensive to the image of national decorum and because it contains scenes of crimes committed by minors without any criticism of the deeds (theft at the newsstand).” Later on, Italian National Board of Film Classification approved its screening for Italian audiences but continued to oppose its exportation. As if to say, at most these images can be seen in Italy, but they certainly are not a ‘postcard’ to send abroad.

Elena Correra