The centennial of master Italian writer-director Federico Fellini (1920-93) occurred in the first pandemic year, so celebrations were cancelled. Over the endless months of fear and lockdowns, the world’s filmmakers and film fans, when asked what they most wanted to watch, often said, “Anything by Fellini.”

Fellini’s films are a lifeforce elixir, a warm, soulful, playful, exuberant gush of life’s messiness, mystery and wonder, from earthy streets to the alluring stars. Often tenderly spotlighting Fellini’s Oscar-winning wife Giulietta Masina, and his onscreen alter-ego Marcello Mastroianni, Fellini’s cinema is a profound spiritual journey and a rollicking circus — all at once, worshipping the Eternal Feminine and parading to a jaunty Nino Rota tune.

Fellini’s timeless poetry embraces everyone from social outcasts to Swinging Rome sophisticates (Oh those fashions!), always reminding us that “I like always to make people laugh.” Laughs of self-recognition, of coming home to the human family, we actors in Fellini’s parade, the Divine Comedy.

Poet, film curator and teacher Tova Gannana will provide an essay on each film.