Cinema by Zavattini: Neorealism Theory and Application in Contemporary Film
Overview
This paper examines Cesare Zavattini's theoretical approach to Italian neorealism and his critique of conventional cinema practices. It analyzes Zavattini's advocacy for documentary-style realism over fictional narratives and applies his principles to evaluate the film 'The Little Girl Who Sold the Sun,' assessing how the film aligns with or deviates from neorealist doctrine.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to Zavattini's neorealism philosophy and his rejection of studio artificiality and professional actors
- Analysis of Zavattini's key theoretical concepts on realism, morality, and the role of cinema in human education
- Application of neorealist principles to Djibril Diop Mambéty's film with critique of its portrayal of the protagonist Sili
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Cinema by Zavattini
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Institution
Cinema by Zavattini
Cesare Zavattini is famous as a prolific screenwriter and theorist of Italian neorealism. Zavattini’s views on neorealism involve an organic approach to directing cinemas. The theoretician advocates for film creations that are more relatable and educative. Zavattini discourages the incorporation of exaggerations in editing, studio sets, and use of professional actors. Instead, the theoretician supports the use of a documentary sensation to promote realism in cinemas. The theoretician is interested in the educative role of a film in the lives of people. Zavattini describes the richness in reality and the ability for people to reflect on their lives. The theoretician discourages the emphasis on surreal imaginations and metaphorical situations in American films.
Zavattini describes this situation as a reflection of the weakness of human nature and acceptance of defeat. In ‘Some Ideas on the Cinema,’ Cesare Zavattini states,
‘The most important characteristic, and the most important innovation, of what is called neorealism, it seems to me, is to have realized that the necessity of the ‘story’ was only an unconscious way of disguising a human defeat and that the kind of imagination it involved was simply a technique of superimposing dead formulas over living social facts.’ ( Zavattini, 2000, p.51 )
The theoretician suggests that neorealism is essential in transforming imaginary events into real-life events that are easily relatable. Zavattini expresses the need for films to incorporate realistic situations in their films since this approach provides details need by people to learn more about their lives.