Federico Fellini: filmography, biography

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Federico Fellini made a huge contribution to the development of cinematography. The filmography of this director includes a little more than twenty films, but during his life he received many awards - the Palme d'Or, the Golden Globe, the Oscar, the Golden Lion of the Venice Film Festival. Fellini is a recognized innovator and classic of world cinema, his name symbolizes the highest professional style that can conquer anyone.

Federico Fellini. Biography

Federico Fellini was born on January 20, 1920, in the Italian resort town of Rimini. As a child, he was fond of drawing. He was very fond of the circus and arranged performances at home. The future director received a classical education, after which he studied as a reporter in Florence. In 1938 he moved to Rome, where he earned money by writing texts for advertisements, variety shows, radio shows and drawings for magazines and newspapers.

In 1943, he wrote lyrics for a radio show about a couple in love. Federico was offered to film this story. On set, he met hiswife, Juliet Mazina. Together they lived 50 years.

Early creativity

Fellini met Roberto Rossellini when he was selling cartoons in a small shop. Roberto shared plans to shoot a short film about a priest shot by the Nazis. Federico offered to deepen the idea and helped write the script for Rome, Open City. The tape was a huge success and laid the foundation for a new genre in cinema - neorealism. Fellini has gained fame as a good screenwriter.

In 1950, the director participated in the creation of the film "Variety Lights". We can say that it was with this film that Fellini began as a director. His filmography starts with this picture, but he himself considered it a half, since this is a joint work. In 1952 he wrote and directed the film The White Sheik. In 1953, 2 films were already released - "Love in the City" and "Mama's Boys". The latter successfully went to the cinema. Federico Fellini received the Silver Lion for this work.

Road

From now on, you can start to name the best films of Federico Fellini. Work on the script for "The Road" was completed in 1949, but the director was able to start filming only in 1953. His wife Juliet Mazina and actor Anthony Quinn played the lead roles.

This tape, which brought the director worldwide fame, an Oscar for the best foreign language film and about 50 other awards, was given to Federico very hard. After filming was completed, he was mentally devastated. This work brought not only recognition, but alsofinancial success to Fellini himself.

Filmography continues with the next film, "Scammers", filmed in 1954. It did not attract the attention of the audience. But "Nights of Cabiria" became another gem in the director's work. A slightly mystical film about touching and naive love appealed to the audience, and the sincere smile of Juliet Mazina in the final captivated them completely.

Sweet Life

The film "Sweet Life" can be called a landmark in the director's work. This picture should be taken as a kind of philosophical parable that reveals the problems of modern Italian society. The director wanted to show that life, in which alienation, loneliness and disunity reign, is empty. And at the same time, the charm, the sweetness of life is available to everyone, you just need to be able to see it. This is exactly what Fellini himself thought.

The director's filmography could have ended on this tape, because many viewers perceived it as a challenge to society. Bathing in luxury at a time when many people in the country are barely making ends meet has generated a lot of backlash. The film was also condemned in the Vatican, especially for the striptease scene.

The official organ of the Vatican published weekly devastating articles about the film, calling it "A Disgusting Life" and threatening to excommunicate anyone who watched it. At one of the premieres, the viewer spat in the face of the creator of the picture. The main character was ardently condemned, offered to ban and destroy the film, and deprive Fellini of his Italian citizenship.

However, the resounding success of the pictureabroad and among democratically minded Italians, he silenced all critics, and soon La Dolce Vita was called a symbol of modern Italian cinema. The picture received wide recognition and many awards. The phrase "Dolce Vita" has become synonymous with a beautiful life in many languages of the world, and photographers began to be called "paparazzi", after one of the Paparazzo characters. With this film, the director began a close collaboration with Marcello Mastroianni.

"Eight and a half", "Boccaccio-70"

In 1962, the master took part in the filming of the film, which was supposed to recreate the spirit of the Decameron. Four directors shot one film novel each, which were combined into a single film - "Boccaccio-70".

The following year, a fairly autobiographical painting "Eight and a half" was released, in which the master tried to show the viewer the confusion in the artist's soul. The film tells about the director Guido, who, due to lack of inspiration, cannot make his film in any way.

Marcello Mastroianni played the main role in this film and, in fact, embodied the image of Fellini himself. The actor tried to show the longing of the hero, his fear of the ordinary.

The premiere took place in Moscow, and the director himself and his wife visited the Soviet Union for the first time. This work received the Grand Prize of the Moscow Film Festival, as well as 2 Oscars and many other awards.

"Juliet and the Spirits", "Three Steps Delirious"

The film "Juliet and the Spirits" was thought over by the director for several years. It was dedicated to Juliet Mazina and created forher. The actress fully revealed her talent in this work, but critics and viewers did not appreciate the picture.

Three Steps Delirious is a collaboration between three directors who filmed one Edgar Allan Poe story each. Fellini was working on a story about a British actor who came to Italy for a shoot.

Rim Fellini, Amarcord

In 1969, the director recreated the Roman Empire during the decline in the film "Satyricon Fellini", in 1971 the modest comedy "Clowns" appeared. The master expressed his love for Rome in the light, magical film "Fellini's Rome".

Amarcord narrates about the native city where the director spent his childhood. This light and funny picture, saturated with a touch of nostalgia, instantly won the great love of the audience. It is rightfully considered one of the best works of the master.

Fellini's Casanova, Orchestra Rehearsal

Filmed in 1976, Casanova was a disappointment to critics, audiences and the director himself. He admitted that he was reluctant to work on this picture, and Casanova himself disgusts him.

The "Orchestra Rehearsal" in 1979 caused a storm of emotions and responses. Everyone interpreted this picture in their own way. The director, as it were, shows society in miniature, using the example of a small orchestra. The tape was filmed in just 16 days in the pseudo-documentary genre.

Late creativity and death

In the 80s, only four films were released by the great Fellini. The filmography of the director is coming to an end, these works, as it were, drew a line under his work. surreal"City of Women", the historical "And the Ship Sails", the 20th anniversary film "Ginger and Fred" and "The Interview", which brings us back to "The Dolce Vita". The director made his last film in 1990. This is a story about a harmless lunatic who recently got out of the hospital - "Voices of the Moon".

On October 15, Fellini had a stroke, and on October 31, 1993, he died. He died after the anniversary of the golden wedding with Juliet, having lived with his beloved for 50 years and one day. The wife survived the director by only 5 months.