LA DOLCE VITA
This gigantic, kaleidoscopic, bitingly satiric fresco of European life in the 1960s follows tabloid gossipmonger Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) on his travels with his photographer sidekick through “the sweet life” of Rome, in 13 episodes. Legendary vignettes include the statue of Christ soaring above Rome; Anita Ekberg's dip in the Trevi Fountain; a fake apparition; Marcello’s father’s visit; his friend’s suicide; and the melancholy morning after the bacchanal on the beach. Federico Fellini’s first CinemaScope film gave currency to a new word (paparazzi), coined a new catch phrase (the title) and was an enormous, scandalous international success. Describing his preparation for the film, Fellini attested, “I spent many evenings with the photographer-reporters of the Via Veneto.” But, in fact, he said, it is all “...completely invented. The Rome of which I speak is a city of the inner self; its topography is entirely spiritual.” The film won the Palme d'Or at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival and received four Oscar® nominations, including Best Art Direction (Black-and-White), Best Original Screenplay and Best Director, with a win for Best Costume Design (Black-and-White). DIR/SCR Federico Fellini; SCR Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Brunello Rondi; PROD Giuseppe Amato, Angelo Rizzoli. Italy/France, 1960, b&w, 174 min. In Italian with English subtitles. NOT RATED
Run Time: 174 Minutes
Opening Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025
Genre: Comedy, drama
