photo by: Associated Press, Mario Torrisi

Italian actress Giulietta Masina, holding the Oscar statuette, and her husband, director Federico Fellini, are greeted by fans as they arrive from the U.S. at Rome's airport on April 6, 1957. Fellini's film "La Strada," which stars Masina, won best foreign film of the year at the U.S. Academy Awards.

The University of Kansas will offer free showings of Oscar-winning Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini’s works during its Fellini Centenary Film Festival. The first film showing is Tuesday night.

David Mucci, director of the KU Memorial Union, described Fellini’s films as “colorful, outrageous, highly imaginative” works with “spectacular narratives that push to the critical issues of life and its meaning.” The event is being put on by the Kansas Union, with collaboration from the Department of Film and Media Studies and the Department of French, Francophone and Italian Studies.

KU’s festival is one of numerous international commemorations for Fellini, who would have been 100 years old this year. He won four Best Foreign Film Oscars.

Frank Burke, a professor emeritus at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada, is a leading Fellini scholar and will introduce the first film showing Tuesday night, as well as co-deliver a lecture on Wednesday. He will also be involved in other Fellini centenary events around the world, including one in Fellini’s hometown, Rimini, Italy.

All film showings at KU’s festival are free and open to the public.

Fellini Centenary Film Festival events:

Opening Night Showing of “Roma”

Feb. 25

Kansas Union Big 12 Room

Film begins at 6:45 p.m. Festival reception begins at 6 p.m.

Special Review of “La Dolce Vita & Roma” with Frank Burke and Edward Bowen

Feb. 26

Wescoe Hall Room 1045

3-4:15 p.m.

“The Temptation of Dr. Antonio”

Feb. 26

Burge Union Forum D

Film begins at 5:15 p.m. Introduction begins at 5 p.m.

“Juliet of the Spirits”

Feb. 27

Burge Union Forum A&B

Film begins at 6:15 p.m. Student-led introduction begins at 6 p.m.

“Fellini: A Director’s Notebook”

March 3

Burge Union Forum A&B

Film begins at 7:15 p.m. Introduction begins at 7 p.m.

KU’s Italian Club will also be hosting showings of Fellini films:

“The Road”

March 23

Wescoe Hall Room 1001

5 p.m.

“Nights of Cabiria”

April 8

Wescoe Hall Room 1001

5 p.m.