Amid the rubble of World War II, Italy gave birth to one of the most influential periods in the history of cinema. The crisis of Western societies found expression in the work of a new generation of filmmakers who emancipated themselves from traditional schemes of plot, character, and conflict typical of major studio productions. This sophisticated and committed cinema discovered in the poetic value of image and sound the privileged means to position itself in a world in transformation. By analyzing the narrative and cinematic resources used in major milestones of Italian cinema such as *La Dolce Vita*, *Journey to Italy*, or *Death in Venice*, and the lives and works of their great filmmakers, the author constructs an essay on the nuances with which art has been able to reflect the world's solitude, frivolity, and individualism: the tragic and comic becomings of modern life.

Author: Gustavo E. Provitina