Federico Fellini

Film & Theater Italian 1920 – 1993 334 quotes

Master of surreal, dreamlike cinema

Most quoted

"Talking about dreams is like talking about movies, since the cinema uses the language of dreams; years can pass in a second and you can hop from one place to another."

— from Interview

"I don’t like the idea of ‘understanding’ a film. I don’t believe that rational understanding is an essential element in the reception of any work of art."

— from Interview, 1965

"I don't like the idea of 'understanding' a film. I don't believe that rational understanding is an essential element in the reception of any work of art."

— from Interview

All quotes by Federico Fellini (334)

Reality is a bad dream, and I'm trying to wake up.

Private writings

My films are like my dreams, and I'm the only one who can interpret them.

Private writings

I don't believe in God, but I believe in miracles.

Private writings

The clown is the only one who can tell the truth.

Private writings

The only way to escape the prison of reality is to dream.

Private writings

The most beautiful thing in life is to be surprised.

Private writings

I am a provincial, and I am proud of it.

Private writings

The past is a dream, the future is a dream, and the present is a dream.

Private writings

My films are a mirror of my soul.

Private writings

I don't want to be understood, I want to be felt.

Private writings

The only way to be free is to be alone.

Private writings

I am a storyteller, and my stories are my life.

Private writings

The world is a circus, and I am the ringmaster.

Private writings

I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.

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The most important thing in life is to love and be loved.

Private writings

My films are a journey into the unconscious.

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I am a dreamer, and my dreams are my reality.

Private writings

The only way to make sense of life is to make a film about it.

Private writings

I am a magician, and my films are my magic tricks.

Private writings

The most beautiful women are the ones who are not afraid to be themselves.

Private writings