heresy and doctrine

His masterpiece 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' examines the clash between individual faith and institutional religious authority through the trial of a heretic.

Throughout his career, he systematically deconstructed Catholic doctrine and religious hypocrisy, most notably in 'Viridiana' and 'The Exterminating Angel.'

His films constantly interrogate the tension between sacred orthodoxy and transgressive desires, culminating in his controversial 'The Gospel According to St. Matthew' and 'Salò.'