The Years of Lead was a period of Italian history characterized by great social, political, economic, and cultural upheaval. It extended roughly from 1968 to 1984, but there were premonitions before it started and echoes after it ended, so I've included some precursor films and might end up including some, like, aftershock films as well. The defining factor for inclusion is that the film speaks to the specific socio-cultural anxieties of the time.

This list begins at 1965; for notable precursors, see here.

Tiered by rating and then sorted chronologically within each tier.