From vernacular art to the auteur moment: Tonino Guerra as a poet, writer and scriptwriter in the 1940s and 1950s.

This article examines the early career of Tonino Guerra, a significant yet understudied figure in Italian cinema, focusing on his transition from poetry and narrative prose in the 1940s to screenwriting in the 1950s. Drawing on unpublished writings and correspondence, particularly with Federico Fellini, it highlights Guerra's role in the cultural shift from neorealism to auteur cinema through collaborations with directors such as Aglauco Casadio, Giuseppe De Santis, and Michelangelo Antonioni. Guerra's work is characterized by a distinctive use of vernacular language, a "childlike" poetic vision, and a blending of oral traditions with cinematic storytelling, which contributed to a "glocal" approach that connected local culture to universal themes. Despite early critical ambivalence, Guerra's screenwriting helped redefine Italian cinema's narrative and aesthetic forms, establishing him as a key creative force whose influence extended beyond Italy.