The hometown of the world-famous director honors his memory with a major exhibition

Although he moved to Rome at 19 years to pursue his dream to work in the cinema industry, Federico Fellini (1920-1973) was always very attache to Rimini, his hometown. He never filmed “the village”, as he used to call it, in any of his movies, but it often emerged in his thoughts and his works. In 2020, the north Italian coastal city will celebrate the centenary of the birth of the great Italian film with a program of events. They are part of the ‘Fellini 100‘ anniversary events, programmed by Italy’s Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs with the Istituto Luce.

The program will culminate in December 2020 in Rimini with the opening lof the International Federico Fellini Museum.

The celebration begins on December 14^th with the inauguration of ‘Fellini 100: Immortal Genius‘ exhibition at Castel Sismondo. The show celebrates the Maestro with film footage, photographs, archive documents, sets, props and costumes of many of his famous movies. It will do so using cutting-edge cinematic technology including an enormous “liquid” screen. It will be possible to visit the exhibition in Rimini until March 15^th. Then, from April, it will be in Rome, at Palazzo Venezia, before embarking on an international tour between Los Angeles, Moscow, and Berlin.

Cinema Fulgor, a beautifully restored theater in the historic center of Rimini, was where in 1926 Fellini saw his first film “Masciste all’inferno” while sitting on his father’s lap. The movie holds a very special place in Italian cinema history as it inspired Fellini to get into film-making. He wrote, “I’m sure that I remember it well because the image has remained so deeply impressed that I have tried to re-evoke it in all my films.”

Throughout 2020 Rimini will be celebrating the 100thanniversary of Fellini’s birth with special exhibitions and events including a 3-part International Fellini Museum, Museo Internazionale Fellini.

To see more of Fellini’s drawings and water colors visit the Fellini room at the Museo della Cittá, City Museum. Most of them are quite racy and give wonderful insight into the Maestro’s wit and whimsy. 

Of special note when speaking about anything to do with Fellini is Rimini’s famed 5-star Grand Hotel di Rimini so beloved by the director that he drew a watercolor of it, as he recalled it back when he was a 9 year old. 

As a successful director he stayed at the Grand Hotel often, always reserving suite 316. As he writes in his book My Rimini, “The Grand Hotel was a symbol of luxury and exotic splendor.” 

Stroll through the narrow alleyways of Borgo San Giuliano, a charming neighborhood Fellini loved to wonder while imagining story ideas.  Many of the colorful houses have frescos painted by local artists depicting Fellini’s life and works. There are many with scenes from his films, like Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in La Dolce Vita.

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        Walter Albertin, World Telegram staff photographer
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