After the Second World War, Italy was in need of an Italian identity to not only unify the Italians, but also present Italy to countries around the world as a leading power. What was left after the fascism era was an impoverished and weak image of Italy. The end of the war brought American allies to Italy, which exposed American cultures to Italian citizens. The lower classes became “the big new audience for cinema in post war Italy” which was the perfect time for Sophia Loren to blossom into society. (Bellissima, p.152)
Sophia started partaking in beauty competitions throughout Italy and then later began to follow her mother’s dream by pursing acting. American movie producers became interested in Sophia because of her unique beauty and talent. “Escaping impoverished roots, Loren rose to fame in the late 1950s becoming one of the greatest Italian actresses of all time. The only woman to win a Best Actress award for a foreign film at the Oscars, her career now spans over 50 years and 100 films.” (Sophia Loren: A Life of Pictures, front cover) Over the years, Sophia turned into not only an international movie star but also an Italian icon. She embodied all the aspects of Italian identity including her ambition, exotic look, pride, health, and prosperity. Through many movies and throughout her life, Sophia Loren…show more content… In this movie, society saw a first glimpse into the new symbol of what Italians wanted the world to see them as. While working with Vittorio, Sophia Loren exemplified the Italian culture as celebration of national pride, pursuing popular trends, charming Italian culture, and confidence. She did this through “her wonderful laugh, her sensuous walk, the volatile passions, her impatience, her sorrows, [and] her joy of life” (Vanity Fair). Pretty soon Loren offered an image of “prosperity, health, fertility and simplicity” to the world (Bellissima,