8½ (1963)

Guido Anselmi, a film director, finds himself creatively barren at the peak of his career. Urged by his doctors to rest, Anselmi heads for a luxurious resort, but a sorry group gathers—his producer, staff, actors, wife, mistress, and relatives—each one begging him to get on with the show. In retreat from their dependency, he fantasizes about past women and dreams of his childhood.

Released Feb. 14, 1963 139 min 7+

Genres: Drama

Keywords: tmdb.adultery, tmdb.movie-business, tmdb.depression, tmdb.suicide-attempt, tmdb.creative-crisis, tmdb.kurort, tmdb.difficult-childhood + 328 more, tmdb.missile, tmdb.dying-and-death, tmdb.unsociability, tmdb.extramarital-affair, tmdb.existence, mdblist.has-trailer, imdb.man-wears-eyeglasses, imdb.whip, imdb.egotism, imdb.stream-of-consciousness, imdb.indecision, imdb.writer-s-block, imdb.childhood-flashback, imdb.press-conference, imdb.traffic-jam, imdb.steam-bath, imdb.flash-forward, imdb.subjective-camera, imdb.hiding-under-a-table, imdb.screen-test, imdb.self-acceptance, imdb.film-producer, imdb.disillusionment, imdb.hotel-lobby, imdb.wrapped-in-a-towel, imdb.tiara, imdb.self-indulgence, imdb.umbrella, imdb.unhappiness, tmdb.individual, tmdb.scapegoat, tmdb.screenplay, imdb.film-director, imdb.surrealism, imdb.mistress, imdb.telepathy, imdb.flashback, imdb.womanizer, imdb.self-doubt, imdb.older-man-younger-woman-relationship, imdb.filmmaking, imdb.midlife-crisis, imdb.memory, imdb.construction-site, imdb.hot-spring, imdb.prostitute, imdb.loneliness, imdb.whipping, imdb.symbolism, imdb.mind-reading, imdb.sunglasses, imdb.husband-wife-relationship, imdb.flying, imdb.catholicism, imdb.love, imdb.extramarital-affair, imdb.happiness, imdb.spaceship, mdblist.metacritic-must-see, mdblist.certified-fresh, mdblist.ext.2k-blu-ray, tmdb.allegory, tmdb.black-and-white, imdb.director, awards.oscar-winner, awards.oscar-nominated, tmdb.semi-autobiographical, mdblist.ext.4k-blu-ray, imdb.doctor, imdb.nightmare, imdb.top-hat, imdb.eyeglasses, imdb.illness, imdb.pearl-necklace, imdb.penance, imdb.scaffold, imdb.cemetery, imdb.dancing-on-the-beach, imdb.fear-of-death, imdb.photograph, imdb.falling-from-height, imdb.cardinal-the-priest, imdb.reporter, imdb.wedding-ring, imdb.telephone-call, imdb.misanthrope, imdb.sexual-fantasy, imdb.guilty-conscience, imdb.hallucination, imdb.cigarette-smoking, imdb.filmmaker, imdb.italy, imdb.bath-in-wine, imdb.fake-nose, imdb.tower, imdb.kneeling, imdb.swinging-on-a-rope, imdb.carried-in-a-blanket, imdb.copenhagen-denmark, imdb.cape, imdb.reference-to-diomedes, imdb.headache, imdb.somersault, imdb.sexuality, imdb.eye-makeup, imdb.number-as-title, imdb.pretending-to-worship, imdb.slip-the-undergarment, imdb.scrubbing-a-floor, imdb.bag-over-head, imdb.climbing-under-a-table, imdb.playing-with-one-s-hair, imdb.upside-down-camera-shot, imdb.showbiz-drama, imdb.maximalism, imdb.cowritten-by-director, imdb.film-actor, imdb.film-actress, imdb.unfaithful-husband, imdb.film-director-as-protagonist, imdb.production-assistant, imdb.production-supervisor, imdb.film-critic, imdb.cabaret-dancer, imdb.clairvoyant, imdb.mannequin, imdb.clown, imdb.creative-process, imdb.public-scrutiny, imdb.man-in-a-bubble-bath, imdb.film-about-a-film, imdb.dream-sequence, imdb.harem, imdb.creative-block, imdb.car-ferry, imdb.mineral-spring-water, imdb.health-spa, imdb.impostor-syndrome, imdb.space-sci-fi, imdb.epic-drama, imdb.melodrama, imdb.psychological-drama, imdb.european-filmmaking, imdb.younger-version-of-adult-narrator, imdb.hanging-man, imdb.resort-hotel, imdb.husband-wife-estrangement, imdb.marital-infidelity, imdb.rocket-pad, imdb.suicide-by-gunshot, imdb.anima, imdb.bare-chested-man, imdb.fan-the-person, imdb.lie, imdb.post-modernism, imdb.talking-to-the-dead, imdb.telephone, imdb.eccentric-artist, imdb.one-word-title, imdb.fraction-in-title, imdb.self-reflexive, imdb.self-referential, imdb.metaphoric-title, imdb.pun-in-title, imdb.cinephile, imdb.cinephilia, imdb.handsome-man, imdb.fellini-and-aimee, imdb.salvation, imdb.friend, imdb.marriage, imdb.crying, imdb.sophisticated-comedy, imdb.reference-to-god, imdb.marital-problem, imdb.train, imdb.whispering, imdb.train-station, imdb.rhumba, imdb.sleeplessness, imdb.shame, imdb.friendship, imdb.spirituality, imdb.fedora, imdb.confessional, imdb.flowers, imdb.suspicion, imdb.german, imdb.priest, imdb.mud-bath, imdb.underwear, imdb.paris-france, imdb.guilt-complex, imdb.tears, imdb.singing, imdb.exhaustion, imdb.phantasmagoria, imdb.lifting-someone-into-the-air, imdb.punishment, imdb.pianist, imdb.reference-to-suetonius, imdb.mysticism, imdb.innocence, imdb.boys-school, imdb.hissing, imdb.nun, imdb.dancing-in-underwear, imdb.military-uniform, imdb.old-man, imdb.parade, imdb.apology, imdb.purity, imdb.showgirl, imdb.jumping-on-a-bed, imdb.reference-to-king-solomon, imdb.wine-vat, imdb.hat, imdb.stairway, imdb.trieste-italy, imdb.hedonism, imdb.megaphone, imdb.running, imdb.nurse, imdb.worrying, imdb.classroom, imdb.reading-a-newspaper, imdb.fever, imdb.photographer, imdb.twin-beds, imdb.barefoot, imdb.airplane-stewardess, imdb.outdoor-cafe, imdb.theater-audience, imdb.singer, imdb.whistle, imdb.tranquilizer, imdb.stethoscope, imdb.writing-on-a-blackboard, imdb.snowing, imdb.artist, imdb.harpist, imdb.horse-and-carriage, imdb.remorselessness, imdb.beach, imdb.tuxedo, imdb.hotel-desk-clerk, imdb.twist-the-dance, imdb.chase, imdb.elevator, imdb.freedom, imdb.eccentricity, imdb.car, imdb.bologna-spain, imdb.headlights, imdb.circus, imdb.england, imdb.afterlife, imdb.song, imdb.statue, imdb.sauna, imdb.applause, imdb.gift, imdb.misanthropy, imdb.france, imdb.monsignor, imdb.confession, imdb.writer, imdb.woman-with-no-name, imdb.water, imdb.spotlight, imdb.soccer, imdb.sister-sister-relationship, imdb.screenwriter, imdb.rome-italy, imdb.repeated-scene, imdb.newspaper, imdb.movie-theater, imdb.mother-son-relationship, imdb.magic-trick, imdb.journalist, imdb.interview, imdb.grandmother-grandson-relationship, imdb.grandfather-grandson-relationship, imdb.french, imdb.film-studio, imdb.film-set, imdb.film-production-office, imdb.father-son-relationship, imdb.father-daughter-relationship, imdb.fast-motion-scene, imdb.family-relationships, imdb.erotic-fantasy, imdb.celebrity, imdb.casting, imdb.camera, imdb.audition, imdb.meta-film, imdb.film-within-a-film, imdb.semi-autobiographical, imdb.independent-film, imdb.sanitorium, imdb.artistic-creation, imdb.human-condition, imdb.medium-format-camera, imdb.virility, imdb.blowing-air-on-one-s-hands, imdb.covering-one-s-eyes, imdb.biting-one-s-fingernails, imdb.blue-moon, imdb.feather-boa, imdb.climbing-steps, imdb.dunce-cap, imdb.torment, imdb.sci-fi-filmmaking, imdb.deserted-movie-set, tmdb.complex, tmdb.lighthearted, tmdb.ambiguous, tmdb.compassionate, aspectratio.1-85-1, tmdb.thoughtful, tmdb.bold, imdb.dark-comedy, imdb.meta-fiction, imdb.arthouse, imdb.video-camera, awards.oscar-best-director-nominee, release.dvd