Since the 1970s, Italian filmmakers have been struggling to throw off the monochrome shadow of Neorealism. The genre defined the golden age of Italian cinema and is still remembered as one of the most important and influential movements in cinema history. Yes, you’re right – that is quite a lot of pressure. It’s no wonder, then, that the nation’s best contemporary directors have what you could call a complex relationship with neorealism’s grande formaggio, Frederico Fellini.

Fellini and his fellow neorealists – Roberto Rossellini, Giuseppe De Santis, and Luchino Visconti – effectively defined Italy’s portrayal on film, using their works to explore the economic, moral, and religious strifes of a society in-flux. Many of the movement’s leading directors turned non-professional actors into world-famous acting royalty, with Sophia Loren, Anna Magnani, and Silvana Mangano being just three of the most obvious examples.