IN SEARCH OF FELLINI, a Magical Coming-of-Age Story, Warms the Season

"A charming drama about the love of movies and youthful passion" -- The New York Times "[A] fantastical fable... The adoration of Fellini's films comes through loud and clear" -- The Los Angeles Times AMBI FILMS AND SAMUEL GOLDWYN INVITE  HOME AUDIENCES ON A WHIMSICAL, WONDERFUL,  COMING-OF-AGE JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF FELLINI Ksenia Solo, Maria Bello and Mary Lynn Rajskub Star in This Festival Favorite Inspired by the Real Life Experiences of "The Simpsons" Emmy® Award-Winner Nancy Cartwright (Who Also Produced and Co-Wrote the Screenplay) Arriving on VOD and Digital HD on Leading Digital Platforms on December 19, 2017 and DVD on January 23, 2018 IN SEARCH OF FELLINI (Official Trailer) SYNOPSIS A coming-of-age adventure, IN SEARCH OF FELLINI follows Lucy (Solo,"Orphan Black," "Turn: Washington's Spies"), a small-town girl from Ohio who discovers the delightfully bizarre films of the legendary Italian filmmaker and sets off on a journey across Italy to find him. IN SEARCH OF FELLINI is inspired by the experiences of Emmy® Award-winning star Nancy Cartwright, who before creating the voice of Bart Simpson went off hunting the auteur of La Strada. This winsome drama, from Spotted Cow Entertainment, also starring Maria Bello (Prisoners, A History of Violence) and Mary Lynn Rajskub (Wilson, "24"), arrives on all VOD and leading digital platforms on December 19, 2017 and DVD on January 23, 2018. 20-year-old Lucy Cunningham has never kissed a boy, never had a job and never really had friends. Her best - and perhaps only - friend is her mother, Claire (Bello), who has shielded her from all the bad in the world, including Claire's own terminal illness. Claire's no-BS sister, Kerri (Rajskub), urges her to break her silence and tell Lucy the truth before it's too late. Lucy, aware that something is up, goes to Cleveland for an ill-fated job interview. There, she stumbles into a bizarre and wonderful festival of the films of legendary Italian director Federico Fellini and is instantly swept away with his Oscar®-winning film La Strada (1953).  The cleverly enigmatic tragicomedy leaves Lucy restless and aching for answers, and in a burst of courage, she leaves her small-town home to find the filmmaker and unlock his mysteries -- and her own.  What follows is a strange and spectacular journey through the romantic dreamscapes of Italy, as Lucy encounters characters, fantasies and nightmares from Fellini's films.  Her journey of discovery and life counterpoints Claire's gradual decline into death. Apart but connected, they fulfill both of their dreams as truth and fiction intertwine into the ultimate Felliniesque journey.  Katie Walsh of The Los Angeles Times calls IN SEARCH OF FELLINI "a whimsical tale of film, fandom and finding your way in a very intimidating world," and says the "imagery is striking."  "Ms. Cartwright creates a Felliniesque fantasy of her own" says Monica Castillo of The New York Times, calling it "an effusive love letter to travel lust."  And Paste Magazine's Andy Crump writes that the film is "a love note to its namesake... one gets the sense that if Il Mago still lived, he would approve, not only of [Director Taron] Lexton's flattering homage but also his understanding of the magic of cinema." BONUS FEATURES (DVD)  Audio commentary by Writer/Producer Nancy Cartwright and Director Taron Lexton Behind the Scenes Featurette Exclusive Trailers  PROGRAM INFORMATION Type:  VOD: DirecTV/AT&T, Spectrum, Comcast, Verizon, Frontier, Cox | Digital HD: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, FandangoNow | DVD Running Time: 103 minutes Rating: R Genre: Drama Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audio:  5.1 Dolby Digital

My Thoughts

In Search of Fellini is a coming of age story that is all about learning to grow up, and experience the world. I always had been a big fan of Ksenia Solo. I had watched all the seasons of Lost Girl and think she is very talented. When I saw this I was interested in it because of her. The movie was very moving. As always her acting is impeccable. As a naive 20 year old with no life experiences, who has her mother as her only friend, she is forced to experience the world. This is her mother's (Maria Bello) way of helping to prepare for eventually losing her to a terminal illness. The movie is a mix of fantasy, and nightmare from Fellini's films. Throw in a little romance, and you have a moving, easy to watch fantasy, about letting go for both the parent and the child. You will definitely have your teary tissue moments, but it is very enjoyable to watch. 
The movie is based on a "mostly" true story about Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson. This movie is definitely a little trippy, but in the best way. If movies get too strange I tend to get turned off from watching them, but with this one I did not. I really enjoyed it. It has beautiful scenery, and definitely will make you want to travel to Italy, which is something I have always wanted to do anyway. This movie has a lot to offer, sentimentality, sensuality, romance, darkness, innocence, love, family, etc. It is definitely worth a look.

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