The Perfume of the Lady in Black

Francesco Barilli’s world is most clearly visible in his painting – his true passion and the realm of a metaphysical surrealist. Though he also worked as an actor, documentarian, screenwriter, and film director, Barilli himself described these activities as almost accidental episodes in his life. He came from an artistic family in Parma, with painters, musicians, and writers active around the turn of the 20th century. As a director he made three feature films, the first being The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974). This unusual giallo reveals both Barilli’s distinctive artistic sensibility and the broader appeal of the genre at the time, when the film industry eagerly embraced ideas capable of attracting audiences. A perfectionist, Barilli carefully orchestrates an increasingly unsettling interplay of spaces and presences surrounding the protagonist, who gradually sinks into her own de profundis, until reality begins to merge with dreamlike vision. Perhaps the most Hitchcockian giallo film in this selection, it echoes Marnie, Vertigo, and Psycho – in its use of color, precise compositions, and the subtle unease carried by seemingly minor details. Barilli’s metaphysical surrealism permeates the film, reminding us how unexpectedly singular Italian giallo could become – even within the conventions of exploitation cinema.

Stanisław Bardadin

Francesco Barilli (b. 1943) – Italian actor, director, screenwriter, and painter. Coming from a family of painters, he devoted much of his life to the visual arts. He directed only two films, which – as he emphasized – were inspired by his own paintings. Barilli’s artistic roots are clearly visible in his filmmaking, whose strength lies in its refined visual layer: carefully composed frames, meticulously arranged sets, the expressive use of props, and recurring color motifs.

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