Italian Neo Realist Movement
Years active - 1944–1952
Years active - 1944–1952
Country - Italy
Major figures - Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica, Cesare Zavattini, Luchino Visconti, Giuseppe De Santis, Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Federico Fellini
Influenced - French New Wave, Cinema Novo Iranian New Wave
Italian neorealism, also known as the Golden Age of Italian Cinema, is a film movement characterized by stories set amongst the poor and the working class, filmed on location, frequently using non-professional actors. Italian neorealism films mostly contend with the difficult economic and moral conditions of post-World War II Italy, representing changes in the Italian psyche and conditions of everyday life, including poverty, oppression, injustice and desperation.
History
Italian neorealism came about as World War II ended and Benito Mussolini's government fell, causing the Italian film industry to lose its centre. Neorealism was a sign of cultural change and social progress in Italy. Its films presented contemporary stories and ideas and were often shot in streets as the Cinecittà film studios had been damaged significantly during the war.
The neorealist style was developed by a circle of film critics that revolved around the magazine Cinema, including Luchino Visconti, Gianni Puccini, Cesare Zavattini, Giuseppe De Santis and Pietro Ingrao.
Two of the most significant precursors of neorealism are Jean Renoir's Toni (1935) and Alessandro Blasetti's 1860 (1934).
The first neorealist film is generally thought to be Ossessione by Luchino Visconti (1943). Neorealism became famous globally in 1946 with Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City, when it won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Italian neorealism rapidly declined in the early 1950s. Liberal and socialist parties were having difficulties presenting their message. The vision of the existing poverty and despair, presented by neorealist cinema, was demoralizing a nation anxious for prosperity and change. Additionally, the first positive effects of the Italian economic miracle period – such as gradual rises in income levels – caused the themes of neorealism to lose their relevance. As a consequence, most Italians favored the optimism shown in many American movies of the time.
Characteristics of Italian Neo-Realism Films
The films in Italian Neo-Realism were generally filmed with nonprofessional actors although, in a number of cases, well-known actors were cast in leading roles, playing strongly against their normal character types in front of a background populated by local people rather than extras brought in for the film.
They are shot almost exclusively on location, mostly in rundown cities as well as rural areas due to its forming during the postwar era.
Neorealist films typically explore the conditions of the poor and the lower working class. Characters often exist within simple social order where survival is the primary objective. Performances are mostly constructed from scenes of people performing fairly mundane and quotidian or day to day activities.
A prominent example of Italian Neorealist film is Bicycle Thieves by Vittorio De Sica (1948)
Impact
The period between 1943 and 1950 in the history of Italian cinema is dominated by the impact of neorealism; its impact has been enormous not only on Italian films but also on French New Wave cinema, the Polish Film School and ultimately on films all over the world. It also influenced film directors of India's Parallel Cinema movement, including Satyajit Ray (who directed the award-winning Apu Trilogy) and Bimal Roy (who made Do Bigha Zameen (1953), both heavily influenced by Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948).
Main works of Italian Neo-Realism
Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1942)
Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945)
Shoeshine (Vittorio De Sica, 1946)
Paisan (Roberto Rossellini, 1946)
Germany, Year Zero (Roberto Rossellini, 1948)
Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, 1948)
The Earth Trembles (Luchino Visconti, 1948)
Nights of Cabiria ( Federico Fellini 1957)
Bitter Rice (Giuseppe De Santis, 1949)
Stromboli (Roberto Rossellini, 1950)
Major figures of Italian Neo-realism
Vittorio De Sica
Federico Fellini
Alberto Lattuada
Roberto Rossellini
Luchino Visconti
Note - Articles might have inputs from articles in public domain
Influenced - French New Wave, Cinema Novo Iranian New Wave
Italian neorealism, also known as the Golden Age of Italian Cinema, is a film movement characterized by stories set amongst the poor and the working class, filmed on location, frequently using non-professional actors. Italian neorealism films mostly contend with the difficult economic and moral conditions of post-World War II Italy, representing changes in the Italian psyche and conditions of everyday life, including poverty, oppression, injustice and desperation.
History
Italian neorealism came about as World War II ended and Benito Mussolini's government fell, causing the Italian film industry to lose its centre. Neorealism was a sign of cultural change and social progress in Italy. Its films presented contemporary stories and ideas and were often shot in streets as the Cinecittà film studios had been damaged significantly during the war.
The neorealist style was developed by a circle of film critics that revolved around the magazine Cinema, including Luchino Visconti, Gianni Puccini, Cesare Zavattini, Giuseppe De Santis and Pietro Ingrao.
Two of the most significant precursors of neorealism are Jean Renoir's Toni (1935) and Alessandro Blasetti's 1860 (1934).
The first neorealist film is generally thought to be Ossessione by Luchino Visconti (1943). Neorealism became famous globally in 1946 with Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City, when it won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Italian neorealism rapidly declined in the early 1950s. Liberal and socialist parties were having difficulties presenting their message. The vision of the existing poverty and despair, presented by neorealist cinema, was demoralizing a nation anxious for prosperity and change. Additionally, the first positive effects of the Italian economic miracle period – such as gradual rises in income levels – caused the themes of neorealism to lose their relevance. As a consequence, most Italians favored the optimism shown in many American movies of the time.
Characteristics of Italian Neo-Realism Films
The films in Italian Neo-Realism were generally filmed with nonprofessional actors although, in a number of cases, well-known actors were cast in leading roles, playing strongly against their normal character types in front of a background populated by local people rather than extras brought in for the film.
They are shot almost exclusively on location, mostly in rundown cities as well as rural areas due to its forming during the postwar era.
Neorealist films typically explore the conditions of the poor and the lower working class. Characters often exist within simple social order where survival is the primary objective. Performances are mostly constructed from scenes of people performing fairly mundane and quotidian or day to day activities.
A prominent example of Italian Neorealist film is Bicycle Thieves by Vittorio De Sica (1948)
Impact
The period between 1943 and 1950 in the history of Italian cinema is dominated by the impact of neorealism; its impact has been enormous not only on Italian films but also on French New Wave cinema, the Polish Film School and ultimately on films all over the world. It also influenced film directors of India's Parallel Cinema movement, including Satyajit Ray (who directed the award-winning Apu Trilogy) and Bimal Roy (who made Do Bigha Zameen (1953), both heavily influenced by Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948).
Main works of Italian Neo-Realism
Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1942)
Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945)
Shoeshine (Vittorio De Sica, 1946)
Paisan (Roberto Rossellini, 1946)
Germany, Year Zero (Roberto Rossellini, 1948)
Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, 1948)
The Earth Trembles (Luchino Visconti, 1948)
Nights of Cabiria ( Federico Fellini 1957)
Bitter Rice (Giuseppe De Santis, 1949)
Stromboli (Roberto Rossellini, 1950)
Major figures of Italian Neo-realism
Vittorio De Sica
Federico Fellini
Alberto Lattuada
Roberto Rossellini
Luchino Visconti
Note - Articles might have inputs from articles in public domain
