City of Women

Friday, September 23 - Sunday, September 25, 2016

“CITY OF WOMEN … is a direct descendant of La Dolce Vita (1960), 8 1/2 (1963) and Juliet of the Spirits (1966). However, because its hero, a fellow named Snaporaz, played by the remarkable Marcello Mastroianni in the top of his Fellini form, most vividly recalls Guido in 8 1/2, the new film could easily have been titled ”18.”

“…The fantastic journey begins on a train where the dozy Snaporaz become attracted to a big, beautiful, apparently available woman who sits in the compartment across from him. She wears a chic fur hat and a suit so carefully and efficiently tailored that it should send out warning signals to the aroused Snaporaz. But no. Instead of taking his time or making any pretense at courtship, Snaporaz pursues the woman to the washroom and gets straight to the point, only to be interrupted by the train’s arrival at the woman’s station. When Snaporaz heedlessly follows her off the train, he finds himself walking across a grassy field, panting for breath as he tries to keep up with her long strides, heading into a forest of Arden as only Mr. Fellini could imagine it.

“…Mr. Fellini obviously adores women as much as he adores making movies, especially movies that find substance in gaudy artifice, that have the shape of dreams, of images freely associated, occasionally of spectacle that is its own justification, as is a show you might have seen at the old Paris Lido.

“Mr. Mastroianni has never been better than he is here as the nowwell-seasoned Fellini surrogate figure. It’s a supremely accomplished performance, modest and grand, broadly comic at times, even touching in its details…Though CITY OF WOMEN is about a libertine, it’s anything but licentious. Mr. Fellini’s licentiousness suggests a profound longing for some kind of protective discipline, if not complete chastity. As such discipline would destroy Snaporaz, it would make impossible the conception and production of a film as wonderfully uninhibited as CITY OF WOMEN.” –New York Times

Part of the series Fellini, July 1-September 25

• Country Italy
• Year 1980
• Director Federico Fellini

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.