BICYCLE THIEVES is one of the most honest examples of Italy’s new realism wave. The cast was made up of non-actors (a big shift from the old Italian cinema full of stars and glam). No studio sets, no dramatic plot twists which wasn’t a step back, it was a reset for what cinema could be. It made filmmaking feel possible.⁠ No one watches Star Wars and thinks, “Yeah, I could make that.” ⁠ ⁠ Thank you, Italian neorealism. Thank you, BICYCLE THIEVES. We will remember you.⁠ ⁠ 🎥 Bicycle Thieves (1948)