Briefly, Who is Fellini?
A scene with Saraghina from 8 1/2.
"Of course I call myself an artist. What should I call myself--a plumber?" ---F.F.
Federico Fellini, director and writer of Italian cinema, was born on January 20, 1920 in Rimini,Italy. As a child, he adored circuses and touring vaudeville acts, the influence of which can be seen in his films, such as 8 1/2, La Strada and The Clowns. Much of his work contains autobiographical details, and memories form his own past.The prostitute Saraghina, which translates to sardine in the Rimini dialect, was a real woman that used to accept sardines as payment for her favors. Fellini began his film career as a rewrite man in the early 40's. During the German Occupation of WWII, the film industry was closed, so Fellini turned to sketching and photographing the American soldiers that came to liberate Italy. After the war ended, Roberto Rossellini hired Fellini to aid in the writing of Open City(1945) He aided Rossellini in several other films and learned the trade of film-making. In 1950 he began his own career with Variety Lights. He has since enjoyed a prolific career that has spanned decades.
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