Original photos by Pierluigi Praturlon taken on the set of
“ La Dolce Vita”
Catalogue by Claudio Siniscalchi & Armando Colasanti
At 7pm , Projection: “ L'Ultima Sequenza” by Mario Sesti
&
“La Tivú di Fellini ” by Tatti Sanguineti
Curator: Claudio Siniscalchi , Diector of historical archives educational, Istituto Luce , Roma
This event is organized under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy Los Angeles, Italian Institute of Culture Los Angeles , and Comites Los Angeles – Delegation San Diego
The Director of Italian Institute of Culture L.A. ; Dr. Francesca Valente , and the president of the Comites Sig. Giovanni Zuccarello will honor us with their presence for the opening celebration.
The exhibition in San Diego is organized by Filippo M. Floridia D'Altavilla president cultural comitee of the Comites L.A. – San Diego
Throughout the entire month of April we will present a series of Fellini films, documentaries, and lectures. see Calendar Event
Historical archives Istituto Luce , Roma
The Exhibition continues through May 1 st , 2005
Upstairs Gallery features photos by Wendy Richmond , Heather Middleton , Vidal Pinto Estrada , Alfonso Lorenzana , Skip Middleton , Patricia Frischer and Ed Masterson .
La Dolce Vita Scandal in Rome
Palme d'Or in Cannes
How can a film penetrate the vital core of the collective
imagination and emerge as the formidable portrait of a nation?
This is the question that lies at the heart of our homage
to Federico Fellini, focusing on the example of La Dolce Vita.
Seeking to identify the vitality of the new can often
appear scandalous.
Our task is to reconstruct and analyze this scandal – but not the shabbiness, the moralism
and the mediocrity that surround it, which no-one surely would wish to revisit. Our
intention is rather to penetrate the secret heart of this scandal. By analyzing the hints and
allusions hidden behind the title, or in a photo taken on the set, we have tried to assess the
power and the significance of this scandal:” both the poetic power concealed in the brilliance
of a masterpiece, and also the pressure for change lurking below the surface of Italy
launched on the path to modernity, searching desperately for its own identity. And in any
case, isn’t it already scandalous just to be the stalker, a carrier or an inventor of myths? And
isn’t La Dolce Vita itself one great mythic tale of loss, and of losing one’s way?
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini was born in Remini January 20, 1920. He
spent much of his youth between the local cinema "Fulgor"
and performances at circus shows. He watched over and over
all the films of the Marx Bros., Laurel and Hardy, and Charlie
Chaplin and developed a fascination for circus performers
and vaudevillians. At a young age he discovered his talent
as a sketch artist and caricaturist in 1944 where, in Rome,
he first encountered director
Roberto Rossellini. Their collaboration started with the
screenplay of "Roma Cittá Aperta" (Rome
Open City, 1945) and "Paisá" (Paisan, 1946).
When Rossellini felt ill during the shooting Fellini directed
one of the six sequences. He worked as a writer for Rossellini
and other directors and co-directed his first feature, "Luci
del varieta" (Variety Lights, 1950).
In his great films of the 1950's such as "La Strada"
(The Road, 1954) and "Le Notti di Cabiria" (Nights
of Cabiria, 1957) Fellini increasingly became focused on universalstories
of human suffering and redemptive power of love. In the 1960's
he developed the cinematic style that became famous as "Fellini-esque"
, combing intense introspection, satire, and a carnivalesque
atmosphere often of extreme decadence and spiritual despair
and fantastic symbolism, in timeless masterpieces as "La
Dolce Vita": (Sweet Life, 1960), "8 1/2" (1963)
and "Amarcord" (I Remember, 1973). Throughout much
of his career he liked to work always with the some crew and
had three keys collaborators, his wife Giulietta
Masina, actor Marcello Mastroianni and composer Nino Rota.
The maestro passed away on Ocotber 31, 1993 in Rimini, where
he was buried. Fellini directed 24 full-length films from
the 1950's "Le Luci del Varieta" (Lights of Variety,
1950) to 1990's "la Voce della Luna" (The Voice
of the Moon, 1990). Four times a winner of the Academy Award
for the Best Foreign Film for: "La Strada", "Le
Notti di Cabiria", "Otto e Mezzo", "Amarcord",
he also was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 1993.
La Dolce Vita
The Sweet Life
After World War II, Italy became one of the most prominent
countries to lead the new wave of European fi lms, the so
called "Neorealism" arrived with fi lmmakers like
Roberto Rossellini, Michelangelo Antonioni and Vittorio
De Sica. Thebiggest director to come out of that era was
Federico Fellini. In 1960 Fellini released his most defining
film to date that would foreshadow the world of paparazzi,
decadence, wealth and fame for the years to come, with his
masterpiece "The Sweet Life". Written by Ennio
Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli and Brunello Rondi, "The Sweet
Life" is a multi-faced story shot in black and white
with cinematographer Otello Martelli, the movie plays like
a circus with surreal images that seem to blend the world
of reality and fantasy. The film's music is also diverse
ranging from rock n' roll, pop and classical music along
with a comical and romantic film score from composer Nino
Rota. The movie is a portrait of the high and low life of
Rome in the late fi fties and early sixties as seen through
the eyes of its main character Marcello, played by Marcello
Mastroianni, a handsome journalist, in constant pursuit
of the extravagant, the sensational the absurd. The most
famous scene in terms of pop culture is surely Marcello
and Anita romping in the Trevi Fountain. Anita Ekber gives
the most memorable performance of the entire group of actresses,
she isn't very bright but she is extremely beautiful and
perfectly reflects the starlets consumed by their own fame
and allure. The Film was awarded the Palm d' Or at Cannes
and he became the first foreign filmmaker, (it was 1961),
to be nominated in the Best Director category at the Oscars.
He lost but Piero Gherardi won Best Costume Design. The
following year the fi lm also won the New York critics Circle
Award for Best Foreign Film, becoming a timeless worldwide
success.
L' ultima sequenza
The Last Sequence
The story of the famous lost scene from Fellini’s masterpiece “8 1/2”
Italy 2003
52 minutes
The documentary "The Last Sequence" provides almost
an hour of previously unseen footage offering an intriguing
insight into the making of a masterpiece that received the
Oscar Award for Best Foreign Film in 1963 and premiered
at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003.
It should have been edited as the last sequence of Fellini's
"8 1/2", but eventually he chose the enchanting
liveliness of the circus and the train sequence is nowhere
to be found. It remains a mystery, 50 minutes of an intriguing
insight into the making of a masterpiece, that received
the Oscar Award for Best Foreign Film in 1963, with a "live"
Fellini never heard or seen before. Director: Mario Sesti
- Cast: Federico Fellini, Claudia Cardinale, Sofi a Loren,
Sandra Milo, Anouk Aimee, Rossella Falk, Gideon Bachmann
- Screenplay:
Mario Sesti - Editing and Cinematography: Valerio Quintarelli
- Music: Federico Badaloni, Aphex Twin - Producer: Francesco
Tornatore - Production: Sciarlo', Fury Dept., Cinema Zero,
supported by Cinecitta’ Holding. Distributor: Istituto
Luce - Festivals & Awards: 56th Cannes International
Film Festival 2003, Tribute to Federico Fellini Festival
do Rio 2003, Tribute to Federico Fellini Italian Film Festival,
Australia 2003 52nd International Film Festival,
Mannheim 2003
Fellini TV
collection of Fellini shorts never seen before
2003, Istituto Luce, Alberto Grimaldi
38 minutes / Color
Director Tatti Sanguineti - During the shooting of "Ginger
and Fred" in 1985, Fellini directed a number of satirical
segments parodying Italian television, quiz shows and advertising,
which were intended to be spread throughout the movie but
were later cut. "These crumbs, shavings, fragments"
as Fellini affectionately called them, were finally rescued
and assembled in 2003. At the start of the segment is the
original letter signed by Fellini, explaining the perspective
they were intended to be used, breaking the narration as a
polemic against the indecent habit of gorging fi lms with
commercials. Fellini says: "...use me as an Etruscan
tomb, pick and choose… Do your will... I entrust them
to you...". All Fellini fans will get a lot of satisfaction
from this rare feature.
Fellini in New York
Documentary, 2004
36 minutes / Color
Director Paul Mazursky - Written by Paolo Aleotti, Marina Sanna - Produced and Distributed
by Luce Institute
"I have always loved New York but I'm not convinced that
New York ever loved me"
- Federico Fellini
Director Paul Mazursky, a long time Fellini friend, tells
the story of how Fellini wanted to shoot a movie in New York
entitled "42nd Street" with Marcello Mastroianni
as the leading character. After the month they spent together
for the location scouting in New York City, Fellini decided
to give the project up, because he couldn't find exactly what
he had in mind for the set.
Special thanks to All Sponsors
The Home Theatre Store, for providing all the equipment, McIntosh and Runco, for the projections
Espresso & Cappuccino offered by “Shadow Fox” coffee co.
And the following Italian restaurants:
Vincenzo, Baci, Zibibbo, Pasquale , Max , I Trulli, Buon Appetito , Antica Trattoria, Vigilucci, Pance E Vino,
and Villa Capri
All media: newspaper, magazines, radio, television are welcome .
We will appreciate your interest
For more information please contact the gallery: Filippo Floridia (858) 793-0316 .
Email: galartint@sbcglobal.net www.galerieartint.com
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Monday and Holidays by appointment only
|
