Post-WWII, directors like Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica used non-professional actors and real locations to capture the struggles of ordinary life in masterpieces such as The Bicycle Thieves .
Italy holds a record for the most (14 as of 2018).
The Spaghetti Western , led by Sergio Leone and composer Ennio Morricone , and the Giallo horror genre, pioneered by Mario Bava and Dario Argento , redefined global popular cinema.