Tullio Pinelli

The Man with the Cigar in His Mouth

A four-part documentary series about the Italian director Federico Fellini. Episode 1: His Childhood, His Beginnings; Episode 2: His First Films; Episode 3: His Films with Giulietta Masina; Episode 4: "La dolce vita" and Neorealism.

A look at Fellini's creative process. In extensive interviews, Fellini talks a bit about his background and then discusses how he works and how he creates. Several actors, a producer, a writer, and a production manager talk about working with Fellini. Archive footage of Fellini and others on the set plus clips from his films provide commentary and illustration for the points interviewees make. Fellini is fully in charge; actors call themselves puppets. He dismisses improvisation and calls for "availability." His sets and his films create images that look like reality but are not; we see the differences and the results.

Documentary about Federico Fellini

A documentary on Fellini’s lost alternate ending for 8½