Dream of April 1, 1975, from Fellini’s Book of Dreams (Image: Fondazione Federico Fellini)
This week’s pick: Fellini: Spectacular Obsessions at the TIFF Bell Lightbox
Before there were paparazzi, there was Paparazzo, the pesky photographer in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. In 1960, Fellini probably had no idea he was naming an entire culture, one that would haunt Princess Di, make “Bennifer” and “Brangelina” household names and inspire Lady Gaga.
The role of the camera as a mediator between film, photography and celebrity is one of several Fellini fixations that make up the Lightbox’s new exhibit. It’s a slick tribute to the director, with a gold mine of stunning archival shots, film clips and clever multimedia installations by production designer (and Fellini collaborator) Dante Ferretti. The space is outfitted as a replica of the iconic Via Veneto, its alcoves offering a wealth of art, memorabilia, clippings and gorgeous images of Fellini stars Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni.
But the real treasure is tucked behind the main gallery, where excerpts from Fellini’s dream journal line the walls. Here we’re treated to the auteur’s vivid-hued, carnival-esque drawings—not surprisingly, the pages are littered with sensuous, buxom blondes and enormous sex organs. Possibly even more than his films, the director’s surreal renderings provide a lucid window into his brilliant, twisted psyche—“Fellini-esque,” distilled to its essence.
The details: To Sept. 18. $12. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W., 416-599-8433, tiff.net/fellini.
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Bell Lightbox, Federico Fellini, film, The One Thing You Should See This Week, TIFF, Toronto
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