How is Italian Neorealism a perfect example of modern cinema from the perspective of Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy of cinema?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 University of Tabriz

2 professor of philosophy, University of Tabriz

3 university of tabriz

10.48308/kj.2025.237031.1274

Abstract

In his analysis of cinema, Gilles Deleuze examines two fundamental concepts: movement and time, both of which play a central role in his philosophy of immanence and univocity. Based on this framework, Deleuze divides cinema into two primary types: the cinema of movement and the cinema of time. He particularly emphasizes the importance of the cinema of time, asserting that this type of cinema plays a crucial role in countering nihilism and disbelief in the world during modernity, especially after World War II. For Deleuze, the cinema of time possesses a unique ability to represent complex and multilayered experiences of reality that transcend the simplicity of direct movement and action. This is achieved by moving beyond the sensory-motor system and engaging with the more intricate system of memory and time.
According to the author, Italian Neorealist cinema stands as the best example of Deleuze’s cinema of time. This cinematic style, with its focus on everyday life and post-war social realities, has profoundly and effectively depicted issues such as suffering, hope, and morality. The present article aims to examine Deleuze’s theoretical foundations and analyze the overarching characteristics of Neorealist films to explore why and how these two align, and to demonstrate how Italian Neorealist cinema can serve as a complete and exemplary instance of the cinema of time. In this context, key features of Neorealist cinema, such as the subordination of montage to the shot, the emergence of purely visual and auditory images, and the intertwining of subject and object, will be highlighted.

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References

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 September 2024
  • Revise Date: 21 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 31 May 2025

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