Federico Fellini's 8½

Rated NR; 138min; Director:Federico Fellini (1963)  

Location: Alamo Downtown

This show is a part of the Big Screen Classics Signature Series, Click to See More

Presented by the Austin Museum of Art and their new exhibit The Lining of Forgetting: Internal and External Memory in Art.

On the evening of June 11th, at AMOA's gorgeous Laguna Gloria, we all got together, had some food, some wine, and were about to enjoy one of the finest films ever made in the outdoor amphitheater...then the floods came. First storm we've had since anyone could remember, and it started at the exact time we were ready to roll. Luckily, everyone got out safely, and for the most part, dry.

But we can't let some rain spoil Fellini, so we're adding two shows at the Ritz, which has a roof, to make it up. If you had tickets to the event at Laguna Gloria, please check the Alamo Blog on the splashpage of originalalamo.com to find out details for free admission and other options. There are additional tickets available for people who did not have tickets to the show on 6/11, but still want to see 8½ on the big screen in glorious 35mm!

About 8½
It's true, not all films are art. Even some 'art' films aren't art, but let's not get into a philosophical debate about what art is and isn't. Some films, though, are art of the highest order, and Federico Fellini wields the medium of filmmaking as a master. Prior to 8½, Fellini had made six feature films, two lengthy shorts, and one collaboration with another director (a ½ film), thus 8½ a film literally built on top of the shared memory of its creator's filmography.

The semi-autobiographical yet fully self-reflexive narrative follows the famous Italian filmmaker Guido Anselmi (played by Fellini's favorite on-screen alter-ego Marcello Mastroianni), who happens to be suffering from "director's block" while taking on his new, somewhat nebulous project. Bombarded from all sides by requests and demands from his 'friends' in the biz and family, Guido turns to his memories for inspiration, which makes friends with his fantasies, and both eventually cohabitate with his present situation. A surreal and whimsical master stroke about life, love, memories and the artistic process.

Kid Policy: 18 and up; Children 6 and up will be allowed only with a parent or guardian. No children under the age of 6 will be allowed.

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