rationing

His neorealist films like 'Bicycle Thieves' and 'Umberto D.' depict the scarcity and deprivation of post-war Italy where characters struggle against rationing and poverty.

His socially conscious films consistently explore working-class hardship and resource scarcity, particularly in 'I, Daniel Blake' and 'Kes' where characters navigate systems of deprivation.

His historical epics and dramas, including works about wartime Poland, examine survival, collective suffering, and the human cost of rationing during occupation and conflict.