frac 1963

type: Movie

language: Italian

duration: 138 min

genre: comedy-drama

theme: surreal

director: Federico Fellini

Score: 8 / 10

frac (Italian title: , ) is an Italian 1963 avant-garde surrealist comedy-drama film directed and co-written (with Tullio Pinelli, Ennio Flaiano and Brunello Rondi) by Federico Fellini. The metafictional narrative centers on Guido Anselmi, played by Marcello Mastroianni, a famous Italian film director who suffers from stifled creativity as he attempts to direct an epic science fiction film. Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Rossella Falk, Barbara Steele, and Eddra Gale portray the various women in Guido's life. The film is shot in black and white by cinematographer Gianni Di Venanzo and features a soundtrack by Nino Rota, with costume and set designs by Piero Gherardi.

Plot

Guido Anselmi, a famous Italian film director, is suffering from "director's block". Stalled on his new science fiction film that includes thinly veiled autobiographical references, he has lost interest amidst artistic and marital difficulties. While attempting to recover from his anxieties at a luxurious spa, Guido hires a well-known critic to review his ideas for his film, but the critic blasts them. Guido has recurring visions of an Ideal Woman, which he sees as key to his story. His mistress Carla comes to visit him, but Guido puts her in a separate hotel. The film production crew relocates to Guido's hotel in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to work on the film.

Awards

Cast

More details

author	Brunello Rondi Ennio Flaiano Federico Fellini Tullio Pinelli
award	Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White Academy Award for Best International Feature Film National Board of Review Award for Best Foreign Language Film
contentLocation	Rome
director	Federico Fellini
editor	Leo Catozzo
events	Animus creativity film industry
genre	comedy-drama science fiction
keywords	best friend create director\'s block estranged wife fantasy world film director film production press conference reject science fiction film shoot struggle suffer want writer\'s block
musicBy	Nino Rota
nomination	Academy Award for Best Art Direction, Black and White Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White Academy Award for Best Director Academy Award for Best International Feature Film Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay
producer	Angelo Rizzoli
productionCompany	Cineriz Francinex
publisher	Cineriz Columbia Pictures
recordedAt	Italy
theme	films à clef science fiction surreal