Paisan

Paisan

Directed by Roberto Rossellini • 1946 • Italy
Starring Carmela Sazio, Robert Van Loon, Dots M. Johnson

Roberto Rossellini’s follow-up to his breakout ROME OPEN CITY was the ambitious, enormously moving PAISAN, which consists of six episodes set during the liberation of Italy at the end of World War II, and taking place across the country, from Sicily to the northern Po valley. With its documentary-like visuals and intermingled cast of actors and nonprofessionals, Italians and their American liberators, this look at the struggles of different cultures to communicate and of people to live their everyday lives in extreme circumstances is equal parts charming sentiment and vivid reality. A long-missing treasure of Italian cinema, PAISAN is available here in its full original release version.

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Paisan
  • Paisan

    Directed by Roberto Rossellini • 1946 • Italy
    Starring Carmela Sazio, Robert Van Loon, Dots M. Johnson

    Roberto Rossellini’s follow-up to his breakout ROME OPEN CITY was the ambitious, enormously moving PAISAN, which consists of six episodes set during the liberation of Italy at the end of World ...

Extras

  • Roberto Rossellini on PAISAN

    The following introduction by Roberto Rossellini was made for “Roberto Rossellini Presents,” a 1963 French television series of his films. It was directed by Jean-Marie Coldefy.

  • Adriano Aprà on PAISAN

    Film historian and teacher Adriano Aprà has devoted much of his career to Roberto Rossellini and his films, directing the 1992 film ROSSELLINI VISTO DA ROSSELLINI, editing the 1992 collection of Rossellini essays and interviews “My Method,” and writing the 2006 book “In viaggio con Rossellini.” I...

  • Rossellini at Rice University

    In 1970, Roberto Rossellini was invited to Rice University to present his films to students and participate in videotaped discussions with faculty members. The following are excerpts from those rare archival tapes. Leading the discussion is James Blue, then director of Rice Media Center. Also pre...

  • Into the Future

    In this 2010 visual essay, Roberto Rossellini scholar Tag Gallagher analyzes the War Trilogy in the context of the director’s body of work and the historical moment in which the films were made.