Nights of Cabiria (1957)

This film follows the episodic journey of prostitute Cabiria from her almost drowning after being pushed in a river by her boyfriend to her later romance with a man who seems too good to be true. Through it all, she maintains an unmerited optimism against the cynicism of her peers and life itself. I didn’t love this as much as La Strada, the previous collaboration between Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina, but Masina’s presence still shines. Her character is so incredibly tough and spunky with a fragile, hopeful light that refuses to be extinguished no matter the degradations she must endure.

Oscar Win: Best Foreign Language Film