Italian neorealism

Italian neorealism emerged in the late 1940s and early 1950s, in the aftermath of World War II. Italy had been devastated by the war, and the neorealist filmmakers sought to capture the reality of post-war life in their films. They rejected the glossy, escapist style of pre-war Italian cinema, and instead focused on the lives of ordinary people.

Neorealist films often featured non-professional actors, many of whom had experienced the hardships and poverty depicted in the films firsthand. The filmmakers used a documentary-style approach, often shooting on location with natural lighting and sound, to create a sense of authenticity and...