Federico Fellini

Federico Fellini
Born
January 20, 1920 Rimini, Italy
Died
October 31, 1993 Rome, Italy

Federico Fellini or Frederico Rimini-Fellini, as his contemporaries referred to him, (January 20 1920 – October 31 1993) was one of the most influential and widely revered Italian film-makers of the second half of the 20th century.

Fellini is generally considered by film critics and scholars, as well as fellow film directors, to be one of the finest film directors of all time. Every decade, starting in 1952, Sight and Sound, the official magazine of the British Film Institute, has conducted a worldwide poll of film critics and film directors. In its latest such poll, conducted in 2002, Fellini was listed as #7 on the critics' list of the top ten directors of all time, and #2 on the directors' list. Fellini's movie 8½ was #9 on the critics' list of the top ten greatest films ever made, and #3 on the directors' list. So Fellini is highly regarded by critics, and even more highly so by his fellow directors. Important contemporary filmmakers such as David Lynch, David Cronenberg, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, Pedro Almodovar, Terry Gilliam, and Emir Kusturica have all cited Fellini's influence on their work.

Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s Fellini's films were widely acclaimed, and four of his movies won the American Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Film.

Fellini's films typically combine memory, dreams, fantasy, and desire, and there is frequently a strong autobiographical content and tone in them. His earlier films are seen as following in the genre of Italian Neo-Realism, and his latter films as moving more into fantasy and symbolism. In fact, his later films have led to usage of a term to describe his film style and that of others who follow or imitate him: Felliniesque.

Life and Work

Fellini's father Urbano (1894-1956) was a traveling salesman and wholesale vendor. In August 1918 he married Ida Barbiani (1896-1984) in a civil ceremony (with the religious celebration the following January). After Federico's birth in 1920, two more children arrived: Riccardo (1921-1991) and Maria Maddalena (m. Fabbri; 1929-2002). Urbano Fellini was originally from Gambettola, where the young Federico vacationed at his grandparents' house for several years.

Federico Fellini was born and raised in Rimini, and his childhood experiences would later play an important part in many of his films, in particular, I Vitelloni (1953), 8½ (1963), and Amarcord (1973). It is misleading, however, to assume that all his films contain autobiographical anecdotes and fantasies. Intimate friends such as screenwriters Tullio Pinelli and Bernardino Zapponi, cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno and set designer Dante Ferretti have insisted on how Fellini invented his own memories simply for the pleasure of narrating them in his films.

During Mussolini's Fascist regime, Fellini and his brother, Riccardo, were part of the Avanguardista, the fascist youth group that every adolescent Italian male was obliged to join. It must be clearly stated, however, that Fellini and his family were not fascists or in sympathy with fascism.

During the Mussolini era Fellini began writing for Alleanza Cinematografica Italiana (ACI), the production company of Vittorio Mussolini, son of Benito. Vittorio Mussolini introduced Fellini to Roberto Rossellini, the husband of Swedish-born actress Ingrid Bergman from 1950 to 1957, and one of the leading exponents of what came to be known as Italian neo-realist cinema; Rossellini is best known for his post WWII films Roma, città aperta (Open City) (1945), and Stromboli (1950).

After moving to Rome in the spring of 1939, Fellini landed a well-paid job writing articles for the hugely popular satirical weekly, Marc’Aurelio. During this time Fellini interviewed Aldo Fabrizi, inaugurating a friendship that would lead to professional collaboration and radio work. Of conscription age since 1939, Fellini had nonetheless managed to avoid being drafted through a suite of clever ruses. Commenting on this turbulent epoch, Fellini biographer Tullio Kezich notes that although "the Marc’Aurelio period was happy, the happiness masked a phase of shameless political apathy. Many living under the Mussolini dictatorship during its last years experienced the schizophrenic tug between official loyalty to the regime and the intrinsic freedom of humor."[2]

In 1942, Fellini met Giulietta Masina and a year later, on October 30, 1943, they were married. Thus began one of the great creative partnerships in world cinema. Several months after their marriage Masina fell down the stairs and suffered a miscarriage. Then, on March 22, 1945, Pierfederico (nicknamed Federichino) was born but died a mere month later on April 24. These family tragedies affected the couple in profound ways, particularly in the conception of La strada (1954). Giulietta Masina often appeared in his movies, especially La Strada (1954), Il Bidone (The Swindle) (1955), La Notti di Cabiria (Nights of Cabiria) (1957), Giulietta degli spiriti (Juliet of the Spirits) (1965), and Ginger e Fred (Ginger and Fred) (1986). Although they were not necessarily always faithful to each other, they remained a strongly devoted couple and lived together for the rest of their lives.

The Fascist regime fell on July 25, 1943 and the Allies liberated Rome on June 4, 1944. During that euphoric summer, Fellini set up The Funny-Face Shop with his friend De Seta, drawing caricatures of Allied soldiers for money. The shop contained works from Fellini and De Seta, Verdini, Camerini, Scarpelli, Majorana, Guasta, Giobbe, Attalo, Migneco (all writers, directors or otherwise intellectuals working for Italian cinema). A major inspiration for Fellini was Goethe.

During this time Roberto Rossellini came to see Fellini about his project, titled Rome, Open City (1945). Rossellini wanted the young man to introduce him to Aldo Fabrizi and collaborate on the script (with Suso Cecchi D'Amato, Piero Tellini, and Alberto Lattuada). Fellini accepted, contributing gags and dialogue.

Fellini was a cartoonist and creator of drawings before he became a filmmaker, and he would continue to create such drawings throughout his life. His drawings (mostly pencil on paper) were often humorous portraits. Through these works young Fellini encountered cinema: his first success was in drawing advertising pictures for movies.

In addition to making films, Fellini also wrote scripts for radio shows, for movies for other directors (mainly for Rossellini), and comic gags for well known actors like Aldo Fabrizi. Fellini also took part in writing another of Rossellini's movies, Paisà. He wrote also for other directors such as Alberto Lattuada, Pietro Germi, and Luigi Comencini.

Other actors with whom Fellini frequently worked include Marcello Mastroianni, Alberto Sordi, and Anita Ekberg.

In 1948 Fellini acted in Rossellini's Il Miracolo.

In 1991 Fellini's text "Trip to Tulum" was translated into English by Stefano Gaudiano and published in a graphic form in the magazine Crisis with artwork by Milo Manara.

In 1993 Fellini received an Oscar for his lifetime achievement; his wife Giulietta Masina was at the ceremony with him and broke out crying when he was on stage receiving the award. In his brief remarks on that occasion, Fellini said:

I would like ... to say a long, long thanks. What can I say? Well, I really did not expect it, or perhaps I did. But not before another twenty-five years. I come from a country and I belong to a generation for which America and the movies were almost the same thing. And now, to be here with you, my dear Americans, makes me feel at home. I want to thank all of you for making me feel this way. In these circumstances, it's easy to be generous and thank everybody. I would like, naturally, first of all, to thank all the people that have worked with me. I cannot name everyone, only one name, of an actress who is also my wife. Thank you, dearest Giulietta. And please stop crying. (Quoted in Chandler, 362-363.)

Although many people did not realize it, both he and Giulietta were quite sick at the time. He died that same year in Rome at the age of 73; Giulietta Masina died less than five months later on March 23, 1994.

Federico Fellini, Giulietta Masina, and their son Pierfederico are buried in the same tomb in the main Cemetery of Rimini. Their monument, sculpted in iron by Arnaldo Pomodoro, is shaped as a prow in the water and is located at the entrance of the cemetary.

The Federico Fellini International Airport in Rimini, is named in his honor.

Some Fellini Films

Fellini's first solo-directed film was Lo Sceicco Bianco (1951), with Alberto Sordi, written by Michelangelo Antonioni and Ennio Flaiano. In making this movie Fellini met Nino Rota, the musician who would follow him for the successful remainder of his career. This comedy-drama deals with the first two days of a marriage. Ivan, a punctilious clerk brings his virginal bride to Rome for a honeymoon, an audience with the Pope, and to present her to his uncle. They arrive early in the morning, and he has time for a nap. She sneaks off to find the offices of a romance magazine she reads religiously: she wants to meet "The White Sheik," the hero of a soap-opera photo strip. Star-struck, she ends up 20 miles from Rome, alone on a boat with the sheik. A distraught Ivan covers for her, claiming she's ill. That night, each wanders the streets, she tempted by suicide, he by prostitutes. The next day, at 11, is their papal audience. Can things still right themselves?

Filmography as director

Links to Fellini's drawings related to single films

• Luci del Varietà (1950) (co-credited with Alberto Lattuada)
• Lo Sceicco Bianco (1951) [1] [2]
• I Vitelloni (1953) [3]
• L'Amore in Città (1953) (segment Un'agenzia matrimoniale)
• La Strada (1954) Oscar (best foreign language film) [4]
• Il bidone (1955)
• Le Notti di Cabiria (1957) Oscar (best foreign language film) [5]
• La Dolce Vita (1960) Oscar (best costumes)
• Boccaccio '70 (1962) (segment Le tentazioni del Dottor Antonio)
• 8½ (1963) 2 Oscars (best foreign language film, best costume design)
• Giulietta degli Spiriti (1965)
• Histories Extraordinaries (1968) (segment Toby Dammit)
• Satyricon (1969)
• I Clowns (1970)
• Roma (1972)
• Amarcord (1973) Oscar (best foreign language film)
• Il Casanova di Federico Fellini (1976) Oscar (best costume design)
• Prova d'orchestra (1979)
• La città delle donne (1980)
• E la Nave Va (1983)
• Ginger and Fred (1986)
• Intervista (1987)
• La voce della luna (1990)

See also

• Art film

Bibliographies

Fellini Bibliography (via UC Berkeley)

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Walter, Eugene and Katherine Clark (2002). Milking the Moon: A Southerner's Story of Life on This Planet. New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-80965-2.  The author describes his many years of working with Fellini in Italy.

External links

• Fellini's Foundation official site
• Federico Fellini at the Internet Movie Database
• Federico Fellini at the TCM Movie Database
• Federico Fellini at SensesOfCinema.com
• Various short reviews
• Watch Federico Fellini's film Il Bidone
• One of Fellini's artworks
• Images and Archetypes: A perspective on the work of Federico Fellini
• Site for the documentary film "Fellini Ungrateful Celebration", directed by: Eric Burritt
• In-depth excerpt from Fellini: A Life
• Researching and documenting the influence of Fellini on popular culture
• Federico Fellini: Interviews edited by Bert Cardullo
• Essay on Orchestra Rehearsal by A.Tylski
• Site Federico Fellini
• Federico Fellini: Old School Reviews

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