Italian Neorealism

Italian Neorealism is a film movement taking place roughly between 1943 and 1952. It's a cynical movement that focuses heavily on societal problems and the plight of the average person in post-WW2 Italy.

History of the Movement

WW2 and Aftermath

During World War 2, much of the infrastructure of Europe's film industry was completely destroyed along with countless cities, homes, and workplaces. Much of Europe became a poverty-stricken wasteland, especially within the Axis powers. Italy was no exception. In the aftermath of World War 2, Italians struggled to simply survive day-to-day which had a heavy impact on the themes of Italian films once the industry was rebuilt. This difficult way of life heavily influenced the themes and philosophy behind Italian Neorealism.

A Reaction to Fascist Censorship

Under the leadership of Mussolini, the film industry largely engaged in fascist propaganda. Other voices were suppressed. But after the fall of Fascist rule in Italy, filmmakers were free under the new liberal-coalition government to speak openly. Italian Neorealists used this new freedom to engage in discussions about the failings of societal institutions.

Aesthetic Strategies/Style

Emphasis on Realism

Italian Neorealists strived for a realistic look - nothing fantastical or interpretive. It was common to film on location, but constructed sets were equally common. Unlike movements like German Expressionism, when Italian Neorealists constructed sets, they went out of their way to make them look realistic - as if they were filming on location. These films needed to feel authentic to the experiences of the people they represent, and keeping the aesthetic true-to-life was one way of doing that.

Using Non-Actors

As part of the desire for authenticity, directors would often hire non-actors off the street to achieve a relatable performance. This was in intentional contrast to the Hollywood style in which actors were highly trained and conventionally attractive. By literally picking actors off the street, Italian Neorealists were able to portray their characters as normal, relatable people.

Insignificant Stories

The plots of Italian Neorealist films are incredibly small and insignificant compared to flashier Hollywood-style films. Instead of robbing a train, fighting off invaders, or uncovering a conspiracy - Italian Neorealist films focus on the lives of common people and their problems. In the grand scheme of human existence, the types of stories told in Italian Neorealist films would never make it in a history book and have no stakes at all when it comes to the society they take place in. But that's the point. These stories are about the struggles of common people and the insignificance of their plights to the powers-that-be.

Common Themes

Italian Neorealism engaged in critical discourse of the societal and political environment of its time - through the particular lens of how societal shortcomings impacted common people. The movement takes a deeply personal look at the scars of Fascism left on Italian society and how difficult it was for people to survive the societal systems in place designed to work against them and prop up the elite. Below are a short list of some of the themes Italian Neorealists used to explore these ideas.

Extreme Poverty

Almost universally, Italian Neorealists had main characters that lived in extreme poverty, working incredibly hard to try and improve their station. These characters always have to weather enormous setbacks they have little or no control over - emphasizing the futility of rising through the systems in place.

Incompetent or Corrupt Political Leaders

The antagonist in many Italian Neorealist films is often the system itself, and many "mini-antagonists" contribute along the main character's journey through navigating a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to their simple goal of improving their lives. Often, these mini-antagonists take the shape of political leaders in charge of the various systems - such as the corrupt judges, lawyers, and jailors in Vittorio de Sica's Shoeshine, or as the incompetent law enforcement in Vittorio de Sica's Bicycle Thieves.

Broken Societal Systems

All these challenges work together to highlight a deeply complicated series of systems - some governmental, some societal - that work in tandem to hold common people down in the post-WW2 era. Most Italian Neorealist films end in tragedy to further drive home the point of futility. However, toward the end of the movement, occasionally a film would end in a happier, even triumphant manner - however small the actual victory is. Vittorio de Sica's Roof is one such film.

Notable Films

• Bicycle Thieves
• Shoeshine
• Rome, Open City
• Rome 11:00

Notable Directors

• Vittorio de Sica
• Roberto Rossellini
• Giuseppe de Santis