Movie

Paisan

1946 · 125 min

A stark, episodic journey through war-torn Italy, blending raw neorealist grit with moments of fragile human connection and tragedy.

Tagline: There are always opportunities for redemption.
Overview: Six stories unfold in various regions, from Sicily to the northern Po Valley as American military personnel interact with a variety of Italian locals over eighteen months in the push north during the Italian Campaign of WWII as German forces retreat.

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How it feels

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Tone: bleakstrength 3 of 3
melancholicstrength 3 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: demanding, 4 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: war
survival
isolation
faith
death
Places: countryside
big city
small town
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: anthology
nonlinear
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence strong
Sex mild

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	5
Horror	3
Humour	2
Realism	9
Romance	3
Tension	7
Darkness	8
Complexity	7
Emotional weight	9

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Details

Genres: drama, war
Directed by: Roberto Rossellini
Written by: Vasco Pratolini, Sergio Amidei, Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini
Starring: Carmela Sazio, Robert Van Loon, Benjamin Emanuel, Raymond Campbell, Harold Wagner, Albert Heinze, Merlin Berth, Mats Carlson
Music: Renzo Rossellini
Cinematography: Otello Martelli
Runtime: 125 min
Country: Italy
Languages: Italian, German, Latin, English

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Paisan

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