SIES College of Arts,

Science & Commerce

Department of Multimedia &
Mass Communication

Academic Year 2021-2022

Semester 3
Film Communication I

Sarang Kulkarni (SMM2122034)

Presents
‘Italian Neorealism’
History – Precursors –

● “Neorealism” literally means “New Realism” ● Mario Camerini’s What Scoundrels Men

● Italian neorealism movement was between 1943 and 1952 Are! (1932)

● It was a national film movement rather than an actual school ● Nino Martoglio’s Lost in Darkness
(1912)
● Alessandro Blasetti's 1860 (1934)
● Yasujirō Ozu’s an Inn in Tokyo (1935)
Reasons for Emergence of Italian Neorealism –
● Jean Renoir's Toni (1935)

● Unrest in Italian Cinema during Mussolini’s regime ● Roberto Rossellini’s The White Ship

● Destruction of Cinecitta film Studios by Allied forces (1941)

● Outdated Technology
Influences –
● Critics writing for Cinema magazine being gravely disillusioned by
‘Telefoni Bianchi’ ● French Poetic Realism
● Verismo Literary Movement
● Reaction against Italian Cinema in 1930s and 1940s

●
Features –

● Stories about Ordinary People

● Filmed on Location
● Use of Amateur and Non-Actors
● Unconventional Production Values.
● Also known as the Golden Age of Italian Cinema.
●

Significance – Manifesto della cineteca Italiana –

● Cultural Change & Social Progress in Italy ● Published in 1946

● Contemporary Stories ● Signed by Leading Directors & Critics of the Day
● Emphasized on Social Themes ● Call for a Cultural Revolution
● Subjects were Three-Dimensional People ● Commentary on Post-War Italy
 Major Works –

● Vittorio De Sica's "The Children Are

Watching Us" (1942)
● Roberto Rossellini’s “Rome, Open City”
(1945)
● Vittorio De Sica's "Shoeshine" (1946)
● Vittorio De Sica's "The Bicycle Thieves"
(1948)

Rome, Open City –

Influenced –
● Reason for international recognition of Italian Neorealism
● First major film produced in Italy after the War ● French New Wave
● Won the Grande Prize in 1946 Cannes Film Festival ● Polish Film School
● Indian Parallel Movement
Thank You