Italian neorealism

Italian neorealism is a gritty, realistic style of filmmaking that developed in Italy after World War II (1939–1945). Neorealist films were generally shot in black and white using actual locations and nonprofessional actors. Their subject usually focused on the struggles of people experiencing poverty and the working class in post-war Italy. The style was both an artistic rejection of traditional studio cinema and necessitated by a lack of resources after the war. Italian neorealism existed for less than a decade and was not popular with moviegoers; however, the genre was acclaimed by critics and was highly influential on future filmmakers. Among the most noteworthy neorealist directors were Roberto Rossellini, Luchino Visconti, and Vittorio De Sica, whose 1948 film Ladri di Biciclette (Bicycle Thieves) is considered a cinematic masterpiece.

Background

Filmmaking in Italy began in the late 1890s, about the same time it developed in other parts of Europe and the United States. By the first decade of the twentieth century, Italy had moved to the forefront of cinema, producing grand historical films that became popular around the world. The 1911 film The Fall of Troy was one of the first epics in movie history; 1913's The Last Days of Pompeii is considered to be the first special effects-driven disaster film.

The Italian film industry was devastated by the start of World War I (1914–1918) but rebounded in the 1920s and 1930s under the fascist regime of dictator Benito Mussolini. The regime instituted strict censorship of the industry but also provided it with financial resources to produce lavish, big-budget films that often promoted fascist ideology. In 1937, Mussolini founded Cinecittà, Italy's first major movie studio. While the studio did produce many propaganda films, it also sought to emulate the grand style of Hollywood and was not completely under government control.

At the start of World War II, Mussolini had aligned Italy with Nazi Germany, joining in the fight against Allied forces. The Allies invaded Italy in July 1943, prompting members of the Italian government to overthrow Mussolini and oust the Fascists from power. Italy's new government then sided with the Allies and declared war on Germany. Mussolini was eventually captured and killed in 1945 as he tried to flee the country.

Overview

With the ouster of Mussolini and the Fascists in 1943, Italian filmmakers were freed from the constraints placed upon them by the government. Many wanted to make films that showcased the brutal reality of life in post-war Italy. The nation was struggling with the destruction caused by the fighting, widespread poverty, and crippling unemployment. These subjects would have been considered off-limits under Fascist censorship, but now, they inspired filmmakers to take Italian cinema in a new direction.

Several directors had experimented with film realism during the 1930s, but these efforts had been created during the Fascist era. The "new" realism of the 1940s focused on the sometimes harsh day-to-day existence of ordinary people. The films abandoned traditional techniques and embraced a documentary-like feel, more emotional storytelling, and natural, rather than scripted, dialogue. The films were mostly shot in actual locations, such as city streets, and used actors with little to no professional experience. The plots tended to focus on the impact of the nation's Fascist history and the economic and emotional post-war devastation. Most importantly, the films avoided any Hollywood-style "happy endings."

The term neorealism was first used by Italian director and film critic Antonio Pietrangeli to describe director Luchino Visconti's 1943 film Ossessione (Obsession)—the story of an innkeeper's wife who plots with her lover to murder her older husband. At the time of its release, Ossessione was criticized by the Italian government as focusing too much on the country's problems. In 1945, Visconti directed Giorni di Gloria (Days of Glory), a documentary about the Italian resistance. His 1948 film La Terra Trema (The Earth Trembles) is about an angler in Sicily who tries to rescue his family from poverty by fighting the owners of a local fishing fleet.

Ossessione may have been labeled as the first neorealist film, but it was 1945's Roma Città Aperta (Rome Open City) by director Roberto Rossellini that is often recognized as the true beginning of the genre. Rossellini's film explored the brutal reality of the Nazi occupation of Rome, including scenes of torture, violence, and executions. Roma Città Aperta won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was one of three Rossellini projects that focused on World War II. The others were 1946's Paisà (Paisan), about the Allied invasion of Italy, and 1948's Germania Anno Zero (Germany Year Zero), about the effects of the war on Germany.

The 1946 film Sciuscià (Shoeshine), by director Vittorio De Sica, won an honorary Academy Award. At the time, the award for Best Foreign Language Film had not yet been established. Sciuscià is a tragic tale of two shoeshine boys trying to escape poverty on the streets of Rome. De Sica won another honorary Academy Award for his 1948 film Ladri di Biciclette (Bicycle Thieves), the story of a father who relies on his bicycle for his job. When the bicycle is stolen, the father and his son embark on a journey to track down the thief. Ladri di Biciclette is widely regarded by critics as one of the best neorealist films, and it is routinely mentioned as one of the greatest films of all time.

Despite the critical acclaim received by neorealist cinema, the films did not connect with Italian audiences. Many citizens were turned off by the depressing picture neorealist directors painted about their country. Italian moviegoers still preferred Hollywood glamour and escapist entertainment produced by the large studios. In the early 1950s, neorealist films began to be replaced with more lighthearted fare and a return to epic filmmaking. However, Italian neorealism left a mark on the worldwide film industry. It was one of the major influences of the dark, brooding atmosphere of 1940s film noir and inspired a trend toward realism in 1960s and 1970s Hollywood.

Bibliography

Alsop, Elizabeth. “The Imaginary Crowd: Neorealism and the Uses of Coralità.” Velvet Light Trap: A Critical Journal of Film & Television, no. 74, Fall 2014, pp. 27–41. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lkh&AN=98225345&site=ehost-live. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Iannone, Pasquale. “The Roots of Neorealism.” British Film Institute, 25 Apr. 2024, www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/roots-neorealism. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

"Italian Neorealism." Cine Collage, cinecollage.net/neorealism.html. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

"Italian Neorealism." Criterion Collection, www.criterion.com/explore/6-italian-neorealism. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

“Italian Neorealism.” Movements in Film, www.movementsinfilm.com/italian-neorealism. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Ruberto, Laura E., and Kristi M. Wilson, editors. Italian Neorealism and Global Cinema. Wayne State University Press, 2007.

Salvato, Larry. "15 Great American Movies Influenced by Italian Neo-Realism." Taste of Cinema, 26 Feb. 2015, www.tasteofcinema.com/2015/15-great-american-movies-influenced-by-italian-neo-realism. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Shiel, Mark. Italian Neorealism: Rebuilding the Cinematic City. Wallflower, 2006.

"What is Italian Neorealism? (Definition and Examples)." Indie Film Hustle, 24 Aug. 2021, indiefilmhustle.com/italian-neorealism. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.