Diccionario del Nuevo Cine Italiano

The Dictionary is the final chapter of the volume edited by José Enrique Monterde, En torno al nuevo cine italiano: los años seisenta: realismo y poesía. This book is organized into several sections that include critical essays, a dictionary and a bibliography. The essays deal with various aspects of the new Italian cinema, such as the influence of neorealism, film genres, the production system, the industrial dimension and the relationship between love and anger in modern cinema. This chapter is a key contribution to the volume, providing a guide to leading directors and actors of the period. This is an essential resource for those wishing to study and understand the new Italian cinema, combining critical analysis with detailed information on the most important figures of the period.

In particular, it examines the emergence of a new generation of filmmakers born in the 1930s, who debuted in the 1970s under the thematic and stylistic influence of the nouvelle vague. These directors connected with the radicalized youth of the time, precursors of the 68 movement, and their films addressed sentimental, sexual, relational and generational themes that often transcended the purely political. However, their criticisms of certain institutions, especially the family, were markedly radical.

The stories told by these filmmakers often included characters inspired by themselves: children of the bourgeoisie in rupture with their environment, in a kind of rebellion against their parents. Some were linked to extreme left-wing formations and maintained a critical stance towards Italian political or comedy filmmakers, who - often aligned with the PCI - focused their productions on commercial success.

These filmmakers considered themselves ‘auteurs’ and sought to maintain total control over the making of their films, often rejecting the collaboration of experienced scriptwriters or editors. With the decline of the youth revolts, this movement also lost momentum, although its representatives continued to make films with mixed results. The volume and its Dictionary represent a comprehensive resource for an in-depth study of the new Italian cinema, combining critical rigor with exhaustive documentation on the key figures of this important cinematic period.