Fellini: I'm a Born Liar (2003) - Rotten Tomatoes

Fellini: I'm a Born Liar (2003)

TOMATOMETER

73%
71%

AUDIENCE SCORE

61%

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

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Movie Info

Federico Fellini was one of the leading figures of the international cinema in the 1960s, whose dreamlike images and indelible characters made La Dolce Vita, 8 1/2, and Juliet of the Spirits among the most acclaimed films of that era. Fellini himself was a character as unique as any he created for his films, an expansive and outsized visionary who could be either a pleasure or a terror to work with. Fellini: I'm a Born Liar is a documentary on Federico Fellini's life and work by filmmaker Damian Pettigrew, who combines vintage interview footage of Fellini, new conversations with those who worked with him (including actors Donald Sutherland and Terence Stamp), and excerpts from Fellini's films (some of them previously unseen outtakes) to create an insightful portrait of a remarkable creative mind.

Cast

Federico Fellini
as Himself
Roberto Benigni
as Himself
Giuseppe Rotunno
as Himself
Terence Stamp
as Himself
Donald Sutherland
as Himself
Italo Calvino
as Himself

Critic Reviews for Fellini: I'm a Born Liar

All Critics (40) | Top Critics (14)

Fellini came close to painting his thoughts directly onto the screen. Born Liar honors this approach by putting lyricism ahead of clarity. You get the feeling that the maestro would appreciate the results.

July 24, 2003 | Rating: B+ | Full Review…
Top Critic

Pettigrew's movie functions nicely as a posthumous couch trip, with Fellini explaining the soulful puppetry of his art without pulling the curtain up far enough to let you catch him pulling the strings.

July 11, 2003 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Top Critic

A disappointment, not to mention a squandered opportunity.

May 29, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/4
Top Critic

It goes in circles and wears out its welcome, except for the most hard-core enthusiasts.

May 2, 2003 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
Top Critic

If you know little about Fellini, this is not the place to start. Begin with the films.

May 2, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Top Critic

The film, for all its frustrating qualities, does bring us closer to this intriguing, seductive and admittedly devious artist.

May 1, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/4
Top Critic
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Audience Reviews for Fellini: I'm a Born Liar

This documentary is not for the uninitiated Fellini viewer. If you want to understand the ultimate puppet-master, it's best to view his films for they're all autobiographical. Rather, this film shares Fellini's insights on the artistic impulse and creative process: availability; openness to experience; spontaneity; structure; memory; narration; verisimilitude. The Maestro compares film making to painting because of the interplay of color and light. Donald Sutherland aptly summarizes his greulling directorial process: He (Fellini) has a three dimensional picture already in his head that he is trying to recreate within two dimensions. The division between art and reality is wonderfully blurred. His repeated self-reference to inherent dishonesty renders him truthful!

Stefanie C
Stefanie C

Super Reviewer

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