Italian neorealism was a film movement which portrayed everyday life among "the people" -- the poor and working class. Neorealist films were characterized by their use of unprofessional actors and were often filmed on location, instead of on a set. The director Roberto Rossellini is popularly thought of as the father of neorealism, as he began the movement with his film Rome, Open City. Also, it's worth mentioning that film historians debate whether neorealism should count as an actual movement, as very few neorealist films were made, and as it's very difficult to categorize a film as neorealist.