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Drama

8½ (1963): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

8½ (1963) movie poster

8½ is a 1963 drama directed by Federico Fellini, starring Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale and Anouk Aimée. It runs 2 hours 18 minutes and earned $304,880 worldwide. Critics gave it 93 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.0/10.

IMDb rating
8.0/10
worldwide gross
$304.9K
Metascore
93
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8½ (1963) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 18m (138 min)
Director
Federico Fellini
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
Studio
Cineriz
After the credits
Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story

What Is 8½ About?

The premise of 8½ without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A famed film director, Guido Anselmi, struggles with creative paralysis while attempting to make his next film. Overwhelmed by deadlines and personal anxieties, he finds himself lost in a whirlwind of memories, dreams, and relationships. As he tries to reconcile his artistic vision with the pressures of his life, the line between reality and fantasy blurs, forcing him to confront his past and the complexities of human connection.

8½ Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • film director
  • surrealism
  • man wears eyeglasses
  • mistress
  • whip
  • egotism
  • telepathy
  • stream of consciousness
  • indecision
  • flashback
  • womanizer
  • self doubt
+38 more
  • writer's block
  • older man younger woman relationship
  • filmmaking
  • midlife crisis
  • childhood flashback
  • press conference
  • husband wife relationship
  • memory
  • construction site
  • traffic jam
  • hot spring
  • steam bath
  • prostitute
  • loneliness
  • whipping
  • symbolism
  • mind reading
  • sunglasses
  • flash forward
  • subjective camera
  • hiding under a table
  • screen test
  • self acceptance
  • flying
  • film producer
  • disillusionment
  • director
  • catholicism
  • love
  • hotel lobby
  • wrapped in a towel
  • extramarital affair
  • tiara
  • self indulgence
  • happiness
  • umbrella
  • spaceship
  • unhappiness
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Cast & crew

8½ Cast

Marcello Mastroianni leads the cast, with Claudia Cardinale and Anouk Aimée. Directed by Federico Fellini; 10 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

8½ Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave 8½ 93 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.0/10.

Plot

8½ Plot Summary

What happens in 8½ from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Guido Anselmi, a renowned Italian film director, finds himself grappling with director’s block as he struggles to make progress on his latest science fiction film, which is laden with autobiographical elements. Overwhelmed by both artistic dilemmas and tumultuous marital issues, his enthusiasm has waned. In an effort to regain his creative spark during a stay at an upscale spa, he enlists the help of a prominent critic to assess his film concepts; however, the critique is harsh, leaving Guido further despondent.

Full summary

The whole story of 8½, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

8½ Box Office

8½ grossed $304,880 worldwide. $203,138 came from the US and Canada and $97,615 (32%) from the rest of the world.

1963 box office

Worldwide gross

$304.9K

US & Canada
$203.1K
International
$97.6K
US & Canada 68% Rest of the world 32%
Videos

8½ Trailers & Videos

8 videos: 3 trailers and 5 featurettes.

All 8 videos
8 1/2 Trailer (1963) - The Criterion Collection
  • Trailer 8 and a Half Trailer HD
  • Trailer Federico Fellini - 8 1/2 (New Trailer) - In UK cinemas 1 May 2015 | BFI Release
  • Featurette Allan Arkush on 8 1/2
  • Featurette Federico Fellini accepting Best Foreign Language Film for "8 1/2": 1964 Oscars
Quiz

How Well Do You Know 8½?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the character Guido Anselmi?

Cars

Cars in 8½

20 cars on screen, including the 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and the 1959 Lancia Flaminia Coupé.

All 20 cars
  • 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider in 8½ 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Important role
  • 1959 Lancia Flaminia Coupé in 8½ 1959 Lancia Flaminia Coupé Important role
  • 1960 Porsche 356 B Coupé T5 in 8½ 1960 Porsche 356 B Coupé T5 Important role
  • 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air in 8½ 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Minor role
Details

8½ Also Known As

38 alternative titles, including “Eight and a Half” and “Otto e mezzo”.

Also known as
  • Eight and a Half
  • Otto e mezzo
  • 8.5
  • 8 1/2
  • Federico Fellini's 8 1/2
  • 8 és 1/2
  • Nyolc és fél
  • Oito e Meio
  • Вiсiм з половиною
  • Federico Fellini's 8½
  • Восемь с половиной
  • Rva nakhevari
+26 more
  • Fellinis Achteinhalb
  • Osem a pol
  • 8 e mezzo
  • Fellini, ocho y medio
  • Osiem i pół
  • 8과 1/2
  • Astoņarpus
  • 8과 1-2
  • 8과 1/2
  • Huit et demi
  • Achteinhalb
  • 8 с половиной
  • Fellini 8½
  • 八部半
  • 8 és ½
  • Sekiz Buçuk
  • שמונה וחצי
  • 8 з половиною
  • Οκτώμισι
  • 8 1/2
  • Osm a půl
  • Opt și jumătate
  • 八又二分之一
  • Aštuoni su puse
  • 8½ - რვა ნახევარი
  • Fellini 8 1/2

Seen 8½?

FAQ

8½ FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of 8½, each answered in a sentence.

How long is 8½?

8½ runs 2 hours 18 minutes (138 minutes).

When was 8½ released?

8½ was released on June 24, 1963.

Who directed 8½?

8½ was directed by Federico Fellini.

More films by Federico Fellini

Who is in the cast of 8½?

8½ stars Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale and Anouk Aimée, among 10 credited actors.

How much did 8½ make at the box office?

8½ grossed $304,880 worldwide ($203,138 domestic, $97,615 international).

How is 8½ rated?

8½ has 8.0/10 on IMDb, 93 on Metacritic and 81% on TMDB.

Does 8½ have a post-credit scene?

Yes. 8½ has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.

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