The movie was adapted by Vittorio De Sica and Cesare Zavattini from the novel by Alberto Moravia. It was directed by De Sica.
The movie won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Sophia Loren). It is the first time an actor won an acting award for a non-English-speaking role.
La Ciociara was remade for television in 1988. It was adapted by Diana Gould, Lidia Ravera, Dino Risi and Bernardino Zapponi. It was directed by Risi and starred Loren, Robert Loggia, Leonardo Ferrantini, Dario Ghirardi and Sydney Penny.