Neorealism

5 Pages 1238 Words

“The subject of neo-realism film is the world; not the story or narrative. It
contains no preconceived thesis, because ideas are born in the film from the
subject.” This was said by one of the founding fathers of the cinematic
Neorealistic movement, Roberto Rossellini. Neorealism was a movement
developed in Italy after the fall of Mussolini and the Second World War.
Well-known producers Rossellini, Vittorio De Sica and Luchino Visconti
contributed great Neorealistic masterpieces to the Italian culture. Its unique
characteristics and filming techniques made an everlasting, worldwide
impression in film history.
Italians first made their mark in cinema history with Filloteo Albertini’s
patent of the Kinetograph in 1895. With the start of silent films, Italy was able to
dominate international cinema. These films were the few first to have complex
plots and use very classical topics. In 1919, the ban of foreign films to come into
Italy forced local production to bloom. In 1937, Mussolini and the Fascist
government built Cinecitta`, Italy’s very own version of Hollywood. The Centro
Sperimentale di Cinematografia, Experimental Centre of Cinematography, was
also established. These institutions are to said to be the foundation of Italian
Cinematography. “Most of the great directors, actors, technicians and
scriptwriters of the Neorealistic period received their training during this Fascist
period” (Baranski 217). Infact, future director Vittorio De Sica and scriptwriter
Cesare Zavattini were involved in Mario Camerini’s, one of the stand out
directors of this time, film that stressed “role-playing in society”(Baranski 217).
Another stand out director at this time was Alessandro Blassetti. He was the first
Italian director to use non-professional actors and on location shooting. His work
supposedly laid the groundwork for Neorealism..
Neorealism took place during 1933 and 1955. It ros...