8½

1963 139 min ★ 8.1 Drama

Guido Anselmi, a film director, finds himself creatively barren at the peak of his career. Urged by his doctors to rest, Anselmi heads for a luxurious resort, but a sorry group gathers—his producer, staff, actors, wife, mistress, and relatives—each one begging him to get on with the show. In retreat from their dependency, he fantasizes about past women and dreams of his childhood.

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Cast

Marcello Mastroianni

Guido Anselmi

Claudia Cardinale

Claudia

Anouk Aimée

Luisa Anselmi

Sandra Milo

Carla

Rossella Falk

Rossella

Barbara Steele

Gloria Morin

Madeleine Lebeau

Madeleine, the French Actress

Caterina Boratto

Mysterious Lady

Eddra Gale

La Saraghina

Guido Alberti

Pace, the Producer

Details

Director

Federico Fellini

Screenplay

Ennio Flaiano

Tagline

"A picture that goes beyond what men think about - because no man ever thought about it in quite this way!"

Status

Released

Original Language

IT

Production

Cineriz, Francinex

Reviews

J

j_haseltine

August 13, 2015

Widely touted as one of the all-time great works of cinema, Federico Fellini’s 8½ is an elusive film about even more elusive things. It’s a meaningfully chaotic picture about trying to distil meaning from chaos and it’s a creative success about creative failure. It chronicles the resonant moments in one man’s life and admits that it can’t quite clarify why they matter. Doing justice to its early w...

F

Filipe Manuel Neto

October 16, 2023

★ 3/10

**Fellini, deconstructed, improvised and enshrined in a film that (not) pleases everyone.** I'm not a fan or deep connoisseur of Italian cinema, but I've heard of Federico Fellini, and I know that this film is considered one of this director's best films. I haven't seen any of his films yet: this was the first. And honestly, I don't quite understand this fascination: the film is chaotic! I thin...

C

CinemaSerf

July 31, 2024

★ 7/10

Acclaimed director "Guido" (Marcello Mastroianni) is looking for a peaceable life after his last successful movie, but at every turn he is being pursued by people who want to capitalise on the success. He just hasn't the inspiration though - and determined not to just churn out any old rubbish, retreats to a small town for some rest, recuperation and hopefully inspiration. He in also rather reapin...