Mamma Roma is a 1962 Italian drama film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Anna Magnani plays the titular character, a prostitute in Rome who longs for a better life for herself and her son, Ettore (Ettore Garofolo). With the help of her friend, Bruna (Luisa Loiano), Mamma Roma saves up enough money to purchase a fruit stand and leave behind her former life as a sex worker.
However, Mamma Roma's past comes back to haunt her when her former pimp, Carmine (Franco Citti), threatens to expose her secret to the community. Meanwhile, Ettore struggles with his identity and social class, feeling like an outcast among his peers and eventually falling into a life of petty crime.
The film provides a raw and realistic portrayal of life in post-war Italy, showing the struggles of those living on the fringes of society. Pasolini uses naturalistic cinematography and sequences of documentary-style footage to bring a sense of authenticity to the story.
Magnani's powerful performance as Mamma Roma earned her widespread critical acclaim, and the film is now considered a classic of Italian neorealism.
