Rome, Open City

Roberto Rossellini's portrait of life under Nazi occupation remains remarkable for its sheer immediacy, tension and power. The film follows Manfredi (Marcello Pagliero), a partisan leader, as he attempts to evade the Gestapo by enlisting the help of Pina (Anna Magnani), fiancée of a fellow member of the resistance, and Don Pietro (Aldo Fabrizi), the priest due to oversee her marriage. Shot on the ravaged streets of the city and in the studio, Rome, Open City remains extraordinarily powerful to this day.