Female Liberation and Autonomy in the Films of Federico Fellini

Abstract

The essay examines the role of women and the portrayal of femininity in the films of Federico Fellini (1920-1993), and the extent to which Fellini’s view of women guides the evolution of the plots. Key female characters in Fellini’s films are seen as existing on the edges of society—women who are not quite social outcasts but whose way of life leads to them being viewed as misfits living on the fringes. Fellini has made a number of films depicting the hardships endured by female characters, their troubled relationships with men, and the lessons they have learned from their travails. Fellini’s films chart the personal growth of female characters towards independence through their interactions with others.