In the volume Felliniana, published by Gangemi Editore as part of the Grand Tour AFAM project, Emanuele Cappelli — designer and founder of Cappelli Identity Design — recounts the creation of the Felliniana type. This typeface was inspired by Federico Fellini’s handwriting and was developed from autograph letters he wrote to his life companion, Giulietta Masina.
‘When asked about the term used to describe his dreamlike visions, Fellini himself said, “I had always dreamed of being an adjective when I grew up”. Thus was born Felliniana, the first font inspired by Fellini’s writing.’ — Emanuele Cappelli
This is an emotional and semantic font that is fluid and imperfect. It is capable of transforming the director’s handwriting into a living, poetic and human visual sign. The same font, designed by Cappelli Identity Design, was chosen for the title of the entire publication. It was developed using the Dynamic brand methodology, creating an identity that is not rigid, but in continuous dialogue with time, space and audience. It is a contemporary tribute to one of the greatest film narrators of the 20th century, whose legacy lives on in sign and vision.
‘Now that I am familiar with Fellini’s filmography and poetics, if I had to choose one of his films to which I am most attached, it would be 8½. Of what is considered by many to be the director’s masterpiece, I am particularly fascinated by the message conveyed by Guido/Marcello Mastroianni in the finale: “It’s a party, life! Let us live it together”. It’s a message of hope and liberation, addressed to all of us. Then again, when asked about the meaning of the film, Fellini replied: “It’s about you, just about you: your job, what you do, your dreams and your relationships with women”. This is the great strength of Fellini’s cinema, where each film is both an autobiographical tale and a collective dream.’
— Emanuele Cappelli
Read the full interview by purchasing the volume from Gangemi Editore, edited by Alesse Ilenia, Fattori Simone and Chiara Ruberti.
Felliniana: Roma, le donne e il sogno (Felliniana: Rome, Women and the Dream) is an open call for artists organised by Accademia Italiana as part of the Grand Tour AFAM project, which is funded by the Next Generation EU (NGEU) initiative and aims to promote the internationalisation of higher artistic and musical education institutions (AFAM). With the aim of celebrating and realising Fellini’s aesthetics and poetics through the eyes and creativity of students from participating higher education institutions, Accademia Italiana will award prizes to the best young designers who have engaged with the work of Italy’s most important film director and one of the pioneers of the Made in Italy movement.
