The Revival of Film Realism. The case of neo-neo-realism

Abstract

When fascism fell in Italy at the end of World War 2, Italian film-makers were no longer required to produce propaganda films that glorified Italy and its government. Instead, they began creating films that were on the opposite end of the spectrum: films that told realistic stories about ordinary people, working class people trying to deal with life after the war. Luchino Visconti, Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica were among those who lead the charge. These filmmakers operated within certain boundaries according to an ideology that was in formation at the time: they used non-actors for most roles, they filmed on the street or in nature without relying on constructed sets, they used long-shots and often encouraged improvised dialogue. The era was named “neorealismo” (neo-realism) and the films it produced have ever since been regarded as some of the best ever made. A similar development has taken place in modern day film-making, that is the birth of neo-neo-realism. We are witnessing a rise in realism in cinema where, much like their Italian post-war colleagues, modern day filmmakers are casting non-actors that play the roles of underprivileged members of society struggling to cope with everyday life. Sean Baker, Andrea Arnold, Celine Sciamma and the Safdie Brothers have all incorporated the laws of realism in their film-making. While the motivation behind the neo-realist era was the fall of fascism and absence of governmental interference, today´s motives are not as clear. There are nonetheless a few recent historical events that have affected today’s generations and helped to form the social circumstances that call for a new era of realism; the war in Iraq, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the economic crash in 2008 and the social media movements (#blacklivesmatter, #metoo, #freethenipple) demanding social reform on a global scale.