The label Neorealism describes primarily movies and works of fiction produced in Italy between 1945 and 1955. It was originally used by critics in Italy in the 1930s in reference to literary works that approached everyday reality with renewed artistic energy. This label often included works of fiction that exposed the hardship of the everyday life of the lower classes, especially in the South, while conversely fascism was presenting a very rosy picture of Italian society. It must be noted that there was no official Neorealist manifesto, and no single writer or director ever started writing a novel or shooting a movie with the idea of producing a Neorealist work according to a codified set of rules. As such, Neorealism cannot be strictly considered a traditional artistic movement. Over the…
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Citation: Mazzola, Claudio. "Italian Neorealism". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 March 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=19591, accessed 21 November 2024.]
