In cinema and in literature, neorealism is a cultural movement that brings elements of true life in the stories it describes, rather than a world mainly existing in imagination only. The movement was developed in Europe, primarily after the end of World War II.

The term is also applied to a style that emerged in the UK in 1914.

[edit] In art

In painting the style called Neo-Realism was established by the ex-Camden Town Group painters Charles Ginner and Harold Gilman at the beginning of World War I. They set out to explore the spirit of their age through the shapes and colours of daily life.^[1]

Their intentions were proclaimed in Ginner’s manifesto in New Age (1 Jan 1914), which was also used as the preface to Gilman and Ginner’s two-man exhibition of that year. It attacked the academic and warned against the ‘decorative’ aspect of imitators of Post-Impressionism. ^[1]

The best examples of Neo-Realist work is that produced by these two artists and also by Robert Bevan, whose short-lived Cumberland Market Group they joined in 1914.

[edit] In cinema

Neorealism is characterized by a general atmosphere of authenticity. Andre Bazin, a French film theorist and critic, argued that neorealism portrays: truth, naturalness, authenticity, and is a cinema of duration. The necessary characteristics of neo-realism in film include:^[2]

• a definite social context;
• a sense of historical actuality and immediacy;
• political commitment to progressive, even violent, social change;
• authentic on-location shooting as opposed to the artificial studio;
• a rejection of classical Hollywood acting styles; extensive use of non-professional actors as much as possible;
• a documentary style of cinematography.

[edit] Films

Precursors

• 1860 (1934, Italy)
• An Inn in Tokyo (1935, Japan)
• Toni (1935, France)
• Aniki-Bóbó (1942, Portugal)
• Ossessione (1943, Italy)

Italian

• Roma, città aperta (1945)
• Shoeshine (Sciuscià) (1946)
• Paisà (1946)
• Germania anno zero (1948)
• Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di biciclette) (1948)
• La terra trema (1948)
• Bitter Rice (1949)
• Stromboli (1950)
• Miracle in Milan (1951)
• Umberto D. (1952)
• Il Posto (1961)

Other countries

• Lowly City (1946, India)
• Drunken Angel (1948, Japan)
• Stray Dog (1949, Japan)
• Surcos (1951, Spain)
• Ikiru (1952, Japan)
• Nagarik (1952, India)
• Tokyo Story (1953, Japan)
• Two Acres of Land (1953, India)
• Salt of the Earth (1954, United States)
• The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959, India)
• The Runaway (1958, India)
• The 400 Blows (1959, France)
• Killer of Sheep (1977, United States)
• Pixote (1981, Brazil)
• Salaam Bombay! (1988, India)
• Veronico Cruz (1988, Argentina)
• American Me (1992, United States)
• Satya (1998, India)
• The City (La Ciudad) (1998, United States)
• Not One Less (1999, China)
• Rosetta (1999, France)
• Bolivia (2001, Argentina)
• Carandiru (2003, Brazil - Argentina)
• Familia rodante (2004, Argentina, et al.)
• Half Nelson (2006, United States)
• Chop Shop (2007, United States)

[edit] See also

• History of cinema

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Neorealism at the Internet Movie Database.