La strada is an Italian neorealist film directed by the incredibly talented Federico Fellini, and winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1956.
Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masini, stars as a young woman, Gelsomina, who is sold to a violent and rough travelling circus performer, Zampanò, played by Anthony Quinn. In typical neorealist fashion, there is little to write in terms of narrative without entirely giving away the film, but La strada is one of the most iconic in this genre, if not in all film's history. Fragile, fragmentary, and dreadfully sad, Fellini has created a masterpiece that provides an emotional snapshot of Italy post-World War II. I found Gelsomina's character to be rather irritating and frustrating, she seems so daft; but Masini is a brilliant actress and in interviews speaks with wit and eloquence. The cinematography showcases the bleak simplicity of post-war Italy with the perfect balance of desolation and beauty.
