The Post-War Construction of a Sense of Belonging in Italian Film Criticism (1943–53)

The immediate post-war years in Italy were characterized by a dual focus: on the one hand, the phase of reconstruction and economic revival, and on the other, a vibrant debate surrounding the ‘defascization’ of politics and culture, which ultimately led to a process of self-absolution. During this time, periodicals underwent significant turmoil, marked by a revival of pre-war models alongside the emergence of new publications. In the realm of film criticism, there was a resurgence of old specialized magazines, along with the creation of new ones, reflecting a growing recognition of the importance of film critics in the dissemination and interpretation of cinema. Intense discussions arose as film critics sought to distance themselves from the fascist era, positioning themselves around three pivotal themes: navigating Italy’s complex socio-political landscape, addressing the evolution of Italian cinema during a transformative period marked by the birth of neorealism, and responding to the influx of foreign films — particularly Hollywood productions — that returned to theaters following the era of autarky. This article aims to analyze how a sense of belonging among film critics in post-war Italy was constructed by examining editorials from popular magazines such as Oggi (resuming publication in 1945) and Tempo (resuming in 1946), as well as specialized film magazines like Star (1944), Film d’oggi (1945), Film, and Bianco e Nero (both resuming in 1946), Cinema (resuming in 1948), Filmcritica (1950), and Cinema Nuovo (1952). Initially, the Years following the war fostered a spirit of collaboration among film critics; however, by the late 1940s, the onset of the Cold War and differing ideological affiliations contributed to a cultural confrontation that gave rise to militant film criticism.