RIMINI CELEBRATES ITS TIES WITH FELLINI

The Italian city of Rimini may be best known for its stunning beaches and string of prestigious hotels but, it is also the birthplace of celebrated film director Federico Fellini.

Rimini  is one of the most picturesque areas of the Emilia Romagna province and is famous across Italy for its 16 kilometres of coastline which plays host to 250 establishments, 1,200 hotels and generates up to 16 million visitors a year.

Rimini’s waterfront remains one of the most popular places for visitors to the region, particularly after the completion of a large regeneration plan in 2020 and 2021. One of the region’s most important redevelopment projects in a decade, it removed parking spaces along the coastline to make way for a new promenade overlooking the beach, gardens, cycle pass and even an open-air gym. Cleaner water and beaches are now monitored thanks to state-of-the-art technologies.

However, Rimini isn’t just about its beautiful beaches. The city is also home to many historical sites dating back as far as Ancient Rome to Medieval times, the Renaissance and the Baroque era. But above all that of course, it is also the hometown of Italian film director Federico Fellini.

The Federico Fellini Museum

The celebration of Fellini’s association with the city was due to begin in 2020 to the 100th anniversary if his birth however, the Covid pandemic affected any grand celebration that year. So, the city is instead devoting 2022 to remembering its most famous citizen.

Large parts of the historical city centre are dedicated to the film director. Castle Simondo, a medieval fortress is now home to the Museum Federico Fellini. Delayed by the pandemic, the museum opened finally its doors in August 2021. Speaking to US Magazine Forbes Rimini’s Mayor, Andrea Gnassi –who was influential in spearheading the project – said: “We believe that the Fellini Museum will play a similar role for Rimini as the Guggenheim Museum does for Bilbao,” “It leverages the force of art as a universal language that can fuel creativity and imagination, now and in the future.”  

Visitors can immerse themselves in the dreamlike imagination of Fellini through costumes, sets and multimedia installations.

Next to the museum is the historical Cinema Fulgor. The cinema appears in Fellini’s famous, semi-autobiographical movie Amarcord. Restored to its 1930s glory, the Cinema Fulgor not only screens his films but also explains the relationship between the director and his home town.

Murals dedicated to Fellini
Across Rimini, many murals pay homage to Federico Fellini (Photo : https://www.visitrimini.com/en/rimini-is-fellini/rimini-the-fellini-museum/)

An entire city remembers Fellini

A large outdoor area, the Piazza Malatesta, has also been transformed to give a feeling of Fellini’s dreams. The area connects the castle and the movie theatre through video installations and augmented reality effects to give life to a Fellini itinerary.

Rimini now also offers travellers a Fellini-themed tour combined with a hotel stay. A tour guide takes visitors around town showing them the connection that the city has with Fellini and his movies. One of the most nostalgic stops on the tour is the Grand Hotel Rimini, which plays a major role in his film Amarcord. The hotel even offers a Fellini package which includes a special dinner – with a set menu – and a tour of the hotel which is heavily linked to Fellini. .

Rimini organises also walking or biking tours around the Fellini legacy. Hidden corners of town such as the San Giuliano fishing village, alleyways, neighbourhoods and large murals are part of a most unusual discovery of a city through the imagination of the celebrated film director.

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