Nights of Cabiria (1957)

Nights of Cabiria follows Cabiria, a hopeful and wide‑eyed sex worker in 1950s Rome, as she wanders the city searching for real love and dignity. Over a series of nights and days she endures betrayals and small miracles: a lover, Giorgio, steals from her and leaves her to drown; a glamorous film star briefly lifts her out of the gutters; at a local shrine she prays to the Madonna; she is made to perform, hypnotized on a vaudeville stage; and finally she meets an accountant who appears to see her for who she truly is. Each encounter opens the possibility of escape and happiness, but the world Cabiria inhabits is alternately cruel and tender, and her hopes are repeatedly tested. Watching the film is a deeply emotional experience: you’ll be drawn into a portrait that mixes raw neorealist detail with poetic, almost fairytale moments. The streets of Rome — black‑and‑white, intimate, sometimes harsh — become the backdrop for a character study of resilience and vulnerability. The central performance is quietly luminous, balancing comedy and heartbreak so that the viewer lives Cabiria’s optimism and disillusionment. Expect an episodic, humane drama that leaves a bittersweet, haunting impression — at once sorrowful and strangely uplifting, asking whether faith, love, or sheer stubbornness can carry a person through a cynical world. Ideal for lovers of character-driven cinema and classic Italian filmmaking.

Actors: Giulietta Masina, François Périer, Franca Marzi

Director: Federico Fellini

Runtime: 110 min

Genre: Drama

8.2 /10 8.1 /10 8.2 /10