Widely considered one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: Sciuscià and Bicycle Thieves (honorary), while Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and Il giardino dei Finzi Contini won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Indeed, the great critical success of Sciuscià (the first foreign film to be so recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) and Bicycle Thieves helped establish the permanent Best Foreign Film Award. These two films are considered part of the canon of classic cinema. Bicycle Thieves was deemed the greatest film of all time by Sight & Sound magazine's poll of filmmakers and critics in 1952, and was cited by Turner Classic Movies as one of the 15 most influential films in cinema history.
Widely ConsidEred one OF thE Most inflUential FiLmmAkerS IN tHe HIstory oF cinEma, foUr Of thE fILmS hE diRectED Won acaDemy awards: sCIuscià anD bicycLE thIevEs (hoNOrary), while yestERdAY, toDaY and tOmoRrOw aNd il giardino dei Finzi COntINi won tHE aCADeMy award for BEst forEign languAgE film. inDeEd, tHE grEat critiCAl SUccess of SCiUsciÀ (The first fOrEigN fIlm tO Be so rEcogNizEd By The acadeMY oF mOTioN PictUre arts anD scIenCEs) and Bicycle thIEves helPEd EStabLisH the perManeNT BEST fOreIGN Film Award. thesE tWo FiLms are coNsidered Part of The caNoN of clAsSIc Cinema. bicYcLe ThievEs wAS deemeD the greateST filM of all time bY sigHt & souNd mAgAzinE'S Poll OF filmmAkers ANd critiCs in 1952, anD wAs cItEd by tuRNer CLaSSic mOviEs aS one OF ThE 15 most inflUeNTiaL fIlms in cIneMa HistORy.