The Federico Fellini Collection
Born in Rimini, Italy in 1920, Federico Fellini almost drifted into film-making by mistake. Aged 19 he went to study at the University of Rome, where he met and later married Giulietta Masina.
Intrigued by the portrayal of journalism in film, he decided to try out the role in real life, submitting articles and amusing editors with his cartoons and caricatures. When Roberto Rossellini wanted leading vaudeville comedian Aldo Fabrizi to play the lead in Rome, Open City (1945), he made the contact through Fellini, who was a friend of the actor.
Thus Fellini ended up working on the script a little and observing the processes in the editing room. Italian films at the time placed much emphasis on image as dialogue was often dubbed later. This was to later inform Fellini’s work with a vivid, visual style.
He became a director of uniquely personal films that celebrate the ceaseless carnival of life. Winner of four Oscars, Federico Fellini has had an immense impact on contemporary film. His groundbreaking work has influenced and inspired such celebrated directors as Woody Allan, Terry Gilliam and David Lynch.
Included in this collection is Fellini’s debut: comedy The White Sheik (also his first collaboration with composer Nino Rota), the Oscar-winning La Strada, the film that propelled him to the world stage and neo-realist Oscar-winning masterpiece Nights Of Cabiria - available here for the first time on UK DVD and also released individually.
The Federico Fellini Collection is released 2nd March