Italian Neorealism emerged in the aftermath of World War II as a cinematic movement that rejected the polished, artificial 'white telephone' films of the fascist era. Filmmakers like Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica sought to capture the grit and struggle of daily life in a devastated nation. To achieve this, they often utilized non-professional actors, whose lived experiences lent an air of authenticity to the screen. They also abandoned the controlled environment of the studio in favor of location shooting, using the crumbling streets of Rome as a natural backdrop. The narratives of Neorealist films typically focused on the poor and the working class, frequently ending without a clear resolution to reflect the ongoing uncertainty of post-war existence. For instance, in 'Bicycle Thieves,' the protagonist's desperate search for his stolen bike ends in failure, a stark departure from the traditional Hollywood happy ending. While the movement was relatively short-lived, its emphasis on social reality and its minimalist aesthetic had a profound influence on the French New Wave and the development of modern independent cinema. Critics have debated whether Neorealism was truly objective or merely a new form of stylization, but its impact on the democratization of the filmic subject is undisputed.