Commemorate The 100th Anniversary Of Fellini's Birth From Home

2020 was to mark a big year of celebrations in the world of Italian cinema as it is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Federico Fellini who was, and continues to be, one of the best, brightest, most celebrated and most beloved of all film directors to have ever come from Italy.

Not only was he one of Italy’s most famous directors of all time, he was also one of the most beloved directors in the world. Born in 1920, Fellini went on to become a central figure of the international art cinema movement that caught steam in the 1950s. He was widely lauded and acclaimed and won Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film for “La Strada”, “Nights of Cabiria”, “8 ½”, and “Amarcord”, and the Palme d’Or at Cannes for “La Dolce Vita”. After this golden era in his oeuvre, he continued to make beloved works and contributions to the industry for decades before ultimately passing away in 1993.

All sorts of special events, talks, exhibitions, screenings, and more were organised in Italy and on an international scale in order to commemorate the event of the 100th anniversary of this great artist's birth throughout this year but, given the current global health pandemic, it is unlikely that many, if any, of these events will go ahead as planned. But what does that mean for Fellini and film fans the world over? Must we give up on remembering the life and talent of this incredible artist? No, of course not! As they say in show business, “The show must go on!”

We look, then, to Mubi, the film streaming service that has come to save the day (you can try out the service here with a free, 30 day trial). This excellent service, which streams a select curation of indie, art house, and classic films, is a perfect outlet for movie buffs, in general. However, it is an even more important virtual destination in the present moment for Fellini fans, in particular, as they present their, “Fellini 100,” season over the course of the next few weeks. This season of screenings launched today with his seminal classic and beloved, Oscar-winning gem, “La Strada,” which tells the tale of the simple and whimsical Gelsomina who is sold by her mother to the brutish circus strongman Zampanò. She goes travelling throughout the Italian countryside with him as his assistant, learning to become a talented carnival performer and having to put up with his cruelty and abuse as they go along.

Described as alternately beautiful and cruel, this wildly original and impeccably formed film is considered a true cinematic masterpiece and Mubi makes for a great place to watch this and Fellini's other films as it comes with a bunch of other resources including basics stats and facts about the movies, a curation of reviews from respected critics, reviews from their own users and viewers, user-generated thematic lists of films in which the films have been places, and a list of related films that you can watch on the website.

So, if you had been looking forward to spending some time in Italy this coming year or attending events organised to celebrate the truly incredible life and work of the brilliant Fellini, there is no need to be completely and utterly disappointed. While it is true that you may not be able to go in person to any of those events or to Italy herself right now, for the time being, you can tide yourself over with the excellent online resources provided by Mubi and remind yourself again why both Fellini and Italy have such a very special place in all of our hearts as you watch these wonderful cinematic classics from the comfort and safety of your own homes...