Baby Fellini

Luca as Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) in Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2 (1963) — Luca as Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) in Federico Fellini’s *8 1/2* (1963)

Luca as Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) In Federico Fellini’s La Strada (1954) — Luca as Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) In Federico Fellini’s *La Strada* (1954)

Luca as Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960) — Luca as Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) in Federico Fellini’s *La Dolce Vita* (1960)

The idea for this project came to me one morning when my son Luca (then two and half years old) walked into my bedroom and stood by my side of the bed with the morning light shining behind him, accentuating the long, golden curls flipping out on either side of his head. He looked exactly like Gelsomina (played by Giulietta Masina) from Federico Fellini’s film La Strada (1956). What a funny little twist of naive fate, it would be, to dress him as Gelsomina – a variety of Fellini characters, in fact – and see what emerged? The contrast, the juxtaposition, I hope reveals something about playfulness, imagination and fantasy – themes that Fellini’s films always inspire me about – and takes them to a new level. I hope this project will be both an homage to Fellini and all of his incredible characters, and a playful message about the importance of fantasy seen through our eyes and the eyes of a two and half year old. In other words, it never, with any luck, goes away. From childhood to adulthood we are in an ongoing pursuit of fantasy.