Italian Neorealism between Cinema and Photography

The essay analyzes the contribution of photography, and especially of photo-reportage, in building the Italian culture of Neorealism. It considers as well the American photographic imaginary of Depression Era and its possible influence on the aesthetic of neorealism, in terms of spaces, faces and their relationship, but investigates more the national cine-photographic culture, by valuing also the role of production stills, in their apparent role of resistance toward the 'new'.