Final answer:
The claim that 'Rome, Open City' was directed by a documentarist is false; it was actually directed by Roberto Rossellini, an important figure in the Italian neo-realist film movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement in the question is False. The film Rome, Open City was directed by Roberto Rossellini and is considered one of the seminal works of the neo-realist movement. It was not directed by a documentary filmmaker, which is implied by the term 'documentarist' in the question, but by a pioneer of the neo-realist style. Neo-realism was an Italian film movement that emerged after World War II, depicting the everyday life of the common people, often employing non-professional actors and shooting on location.