Lo schermo della periferia. Urbano e umano nel cinema di De Sica, Pasolini e Rosi

This essay intends to investigate the urban and human dimension in the movies of De Sica, Pasolini and Rosi. It intends to investigate, in particular, two pivotal movies in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Roman period, such as Accattone (1961) and Mamma Roma (1962), and Il tetto (1956) of De Sica, focusing on the re-semantization of film space related to a specific suburb area and the historical context. Accattone e Mamma Roma plots develop deeply linked both to Pasolini Fifty’s romances and INA-Casa Government urban plan. Il Tetto plots develop inside of the neorealistic language of Zavattini and De Sica. In fact, at that time, Rome has started expanding its borders, building new suburbs in which a particular social class has gone living. In the three so-called movies “della borgata” historical, social and architectonical background merges into fictional screen crossing disciplinary fields. Le mani sulla città (1963) by Rosi reveals another aspect of suburbs: the urban speculation. The four films represent both the genesis of the suburbs of Italian cities and their current problems.