Neorealism
Born in Italy and popularized in the immediate years after World War II, neorealism was an art movement based in literature and film that primarily focused on the poor and working-class of society, seeking to find the heroism in the struggles of everyday life. Although it shared the emphasis for the natural and real that its predecessor, the realist movement of the 19th century, had, neorealism did not value distant objectivity, instead opting to create art that would be more popular and accessible. In the 1950s, neorealism's popularity would fade as it was replaced by more creative and fanciful works.
Some of the most prominent neorealist authors include Elio Vittorini, Vasco Pratolini, and Cesare Pavese along with English writers Kingsley Amis, who wrote Lucky Jim (1954), and John Brain, the author of Room at the Top (1957).
Neorealist film was very similar in theme and style to its literary counterpart, also highlighting the everyday lives of the common people, though it ultimately may have had a more lasting impact on the art world. Neorealist movies were very simple, partly due to a lack of resources, and were often shot outside with only one camera, using amateur actors. Famous works include Luchino Visconti's Ossessione (1943), Roberto Rossellini's Open City (1944), and Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thief (1948).
Mike Enright
India Rambo
Sources:
Wilkinson, James and H. Stuart Hughes. Contemporary Europe: A History. pp. 397, 400
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_neorealism
http://www.greencine.com/static/primers/neorealism1.jsp
http://library.thinkquest.org/28490/data/inglese/index_e.htm