Neorealism was a response to fascism and the destroyed world created by World War II. 1944 through 1952, this genre often depicted stories set among the poor and working class, employing a nearly documentaryclass Italians in the wake of the second world war. Like everything else, Italian neorealism was a product of its times, reflecting influences from French poetic realism, the rise of Communism and cultural changes within Christianity to accommodate more humanistic values. The genre in turn influenced French neoimpressionism.
This kind of filmmaking also came about as a response to low quality of mainstream movies at the time; writers and filmmakers found themselves inspired to return to genre of fiction writing that had characterized the beginning of the twentieth century.
Films of this time often featured non-professional actors, presumably to enhance the quality of "realism."
Major figures of Italian neorealism include:
* Vittorio de Sica, film director
* Federico Fellini
* Roberto Rossellini
* Luchino Visconti
* Cesare Zavattini
If you want to learn more about the major figures of Italism neorealism, check out biographies of Fellini, de Sica and Rossellini.
Seminal Works
Below are a few works you should definitely check out if you're interested in this genre.
