Cabiria (Giuletta Masina) is a resilient Italian prostitute who, despite the various disappointments which come her way, always looks on the bright side of life. Even her optimism is threatened, however, when she is dumped first by a glamorous film star (Amedo Nazzari), then by her supposedly respectable fiancé, Oscar (Francois Périer), who also absconds with Cabiria's life savings. Federico Fellini directs.