N.U. (1948)

At dawn, Rome's street cleaners begin their unglamorous labor, sweeping away the city's overnight debris. Antonioni’s 1948 documentary quietly follows these municipal workers—N.U., shorthand for Nettezza urbana—as they navigate cobblestone alleys and bustling piazzas. With little dialogue and an observant eye, the film captures the rhythm of their daily grind, from the first broom strokes to the final truckloads of refuse. It’s a tender, neorealist tribute to the invisible hands that keep the Eternal City pristine, revealing dignity in their repetitive, essential toil.