Federico Fellini (1920-1993), creator of grotesque and ironic imagery, and extravagant vision, grew up in the small rural town of Rimini in Italy. At 12 he ran away to join a circus. At 17, he went to Rome, where he sold cartoons to newspapers and wrote comic sketches for music-hall performers.
Mr. Fellini was married to Giulietta Masina in 1943 until his death 50 years later. He worked with director Roberto Rosselini beginning in 1946. In 1960, he won the Cannes Golden Palm Award for La Dolce Vita (1960); and in 1987 he won the Cannes 40th Anniversary Award for Intervista (1987). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences bestowed an honorary Oscar on Mr. Fellini in 1993. He received many awards, including the Grand Prize of the Venice Festival, 1954; the New York Film Critics Circle Award in 1956, 1961, and 1974; Oscars for Best Foreign Film for La Strada in 1956, for Le Notti Di Cabiria in 1957, for 8 1/2 in 1963, and for Amarcord in 1974. He received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Columbia University in 1970. Federico Fellini died on October 31, 1993 in Rome.