Bellissima is a 1951 Italian film directed by Luchino Visconti. It stars Anna Magnani as Maddalena Cecconi, a working-class mother who becomes obsessed with turning her daughter Maria (Tina Apicella) into a film star. Maddalena takes Maria to a film studio in Rome for an audition, but they are met with disappointment when they realize it was a scam. Maddalena resorts to desperate measures to get Maria a role, but the film industry proves to be more cutthroat than she anticipated.
The film is a biting commentary on the state of Italian cinema at the time and the exploitation of aspiring actors. Visconti uses Maddalena's misguided obsession as a metaphor for the desperation of a post-war society. Bellissima received critical acclaim and is now considered a classic of Italian neorealism. Magnani's performance was particularly praised and earned her the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
