By Thomas Pigeon
Dominic Sciullo, a passionate Italian-Canadian with a deep love for film and art, found himself in the midst of an extraordinary opportunity that would forever change his life and the world of cinema. It all began with a chance encounter in Rome, where he met Roberto Mannoni, Federico Fellini’s close friend. Little did Dominic know that this meeting would lead to an incredible journey, ultimately culminating in the creation of “Fellini Forever.”
Federico Fellini, one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema, left an indelible mark on the world of filmmaking. Over approximately 40 years, he produced more than 19 films, including renowned works such as The Vitelloni, La Strada, Le Notti di Cabiria, and La Dolce Vita, which propelled Marcello Mastroianni to international stardom. Fellini’s films were characterized by their rich satire and underlying melancholy. His impact was recognized with 12 Academy Award nominations and a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. His untimely death on October 31, 1993, at the age of 73, marked a significant loss in the world of cinema.
So, what is the connection with this famous film director and Canada? Well, Federico Fellini’s entire memorabilia collection miraculously found its way to our country and is safely harbored and nestled in a corner of Northern Toronto thanks to the creative imagination of Italy-born but Canadian resident Dominic Sciullo.
Dominic is probably best known for the vanguard work he did as a pioneering run-and-gun one-man Videographer and Journalist with Citytv in Canada under Moses Znaimer. “I decided I’d become an on-air talent, and I sat with Moses one day, and he said ‘I’m going to make you more than just on-air, you’re going to be the world’s first Videographer.’ I said ‘What’s that?’ The term wasn’t coined at the time. And he said ‘You’re going to shoot, and you’re going to produce, and you’re going to edit, and you’re going to host. You’re going to be a one-man team.”
Born from a working-class Italian family that immigrated from their home in Abruzzo to Canada post-World War II, Dominic’s “famiglia” and his roots are a legacy of hard work and Sunday family dinners that most Italians can easily relate to.
It was over a lunch arranged by Dominic’s cousin, where the story begins. “We were dining at Piazza Navona, and he says, ‘You know who Fellini is?’ And I said ‘I think so. We’re in Rome. I would assume there’s only one Fellini.’ He asked ‘do you want to go to Cinecitta tomorrow? I want to show you something from Fellini that not a lot of people have seen.’ And I said ‘Sure, when in Rome, let’s go.’ So, he brings me to Cinecitta, and we meet Roberto Mannoni. And this world of Fellini is staring me down. I don’t know what to make of it. It’s just like I’ve been dropped into a Fellini movie. And I’m just looking around going, ‘I don’t even know why I’m here, but this is quite fascinating’. And he shows me around, Roberto, who’s now 85. And he is in tears, telling me about how wonderful a man Fellini was, and how he looked after his crew, and how he fed his crew, and how he taught his crew. And I’m just kind of in awe, but I don’t really know what to make of all this.
At the end of the day, Roberto Mannoni asked me if I would be interested in purchasing this collection. I don’t know whether to shit my pants or whether to jump for joy. I just don’t know what to make of it. I didn’t go there looking to buy a Fellini collection. It was very surreal. I said, ‘Look, Roberto, I’m honoured.’ Again, this is in my English, his Italian. He understands English, I understand Italian. It was kind of broken English, but we had my cousin, who’s also named Dominic, translating. I said, ‘I’m honoured that you would actually entrust me with this collection.'”
I asked Dominic, what happened in such a short period of time that made him look at him and say, “this guy’s real, I want to trust this guy?” Dominic incredulously states: “Your guess is as good as mine. I’m still trying to figure out, to this day. He must have taken a liking to me as a son, I would assume. He is now very close with my family in Italy.”
“I have not been involved a lot in film, but my past certainly intertwines with film. And I think that was part of it. Part of the attraction from Roberto Mannoni, who sold us the collection, who was very close with Fellini. He grew up with Fellini, and I believe he worked alongside Fellini for 40 years. I think he was intrigued by my background in this world. He was intrigued by this collection being in North America. There were other offers made to purchase the collection, more lucrative than ours. I really don’t know why, maybe it was the chemistry over lunch, maybe he knew that I would take care of the collection, but to our joy, he agreed to our offer.
“And he loved our vision for it. There is this sort of thing that happens in Italy, it’s often written about, as much as Italians love their country, they don’t love it as much as people outside of Italy love their country.”
As you walk through the warehouse in northern Toronto, you are clearly taking a significant step back in time. Sitting at Fellini’s desk was likely one of the more surreal experiences this author has ever had. It’s a rather unassuming building, but as you walk through the doors, you are immediately transported back into another time. A world where the notion of digital didn’t exist. Where there was a slower moving pace and an appreciation for finer things. Arguably, this was a time when art was celebrated at an elevated level, with geniuses like Fellini bringing Italy—home to Leonardo da Vinci, arguably the greatest creator of all time—back to center stage in the world creative forum..
The oversized original film posters stacked along the walls are a testament to the body of work Fellini created. Sculptures and props from his various projects populate the space. Prints and reviews are everywhere. Magical canisters of unopened film conceal secrets that may never have been told. The place is a virtual treasure trove for film aficionados and has drawn the attention of the film and movie academia world, who are working in collaboration with Dominic to catalogue this amazing array of work. As we donned white gloves and he opened one of the precious canisters of film, I found myself almost shivering, realizing I might be seeing a piece of Fellini’s work that the world had never seen. I’ve traveled much of this globe, and it takes a lot to excite me. This was beyond exciting. I was standing in the middle of film-making history, carefully protected and now being curated by a small group of investors and art lovers under the watchful eye of Dominic Sciullo.
I found myself almost shivering, realizing I might be seeing a piece of Fellini’s work that the world had never seen. I’ve traveled much of this globe, and it takes a lot to excite me. This was beyond exciting.
To this day, 30 years after his passing, Fellini is still the director of directors. Of course, Scorsese, Spielberg, Adam Egoyan, Cronenberg, David Lynch, Woody Allen…these are all famous and brilliant directors, but they came after Fellini. This is his story to this day. His story is still alive, it lives on,” says Dominic. “He was a little eccentric”, I commented. “A little,” Dominic queried. ‘Well, the word ‘Fellini-esque’ comes from Fellini. He would dream up his sequences, sketch it out as a storyboard, and bring it to life. A lot of it was unscripted. A lot of it was with untrained actors. People he would literally pluck off the street. So, there was a real style to his madness.”
“He appeared in many of his films”, I noted from recollection. “Yes, he did, it was a Fellini thing to do. ‘8 1/2f’ was based off him”, said Dominic.
Marcello Mastroianni played in six of his films and is a big part of what made Mastroianni famous. In later years, also, he worked with the famous Roberto Benigni, and countless others.
As we approached stacks upon stacks of metal film canisters from the director’s personal collection, Dominic noted, “We digitized a lot of these reels, and then people were able to sit in these chairs and watch from these clips from those canisters back there,” as he points to the red cinema seats.
Despite initial disbelief from others, Dominic was determined to acquire the collection and ensure that Fellini’s legacy would be preserved for generations to come. With the support of investors, including prominent figures in the Canadian film industry, Dominic’s vision began to take shape. The collection found a new home in a warehouse in northern Toronto, where it became the centerpiece of “Fellini Forever.”
One is Paul Golini, who is the chair of the Italian Contemporary Film Festival, who I had known briefly through my workings with the film studio startup. I went to Paul as one of the potential investors. And then Paul said, yes, I’m interested. I need you to meet Dr. Fabio Varlese, who met Fellini the same year he passed. So, I met with these guys, and they were very interested. So, we met with Roberto. And we came to an agreement. So, I think, at the end of the day, Roberto liked the fact that there were three Italian Canadians thrilled about owning this collection. He probably didn’t see the same enthusiasm coming out of Italy.”
“Is your father very proud of you?” I asked. “My father’s still in a little bit of awe because when he walked in here and he said, ‘you never told me it was all this’. I said, well, ‘I tell people there’s a lot here, but I don’t, there’s no way I can, verbally express it and explain the world of Fellini. You must come and see it.’ I can’t explain all these drawings, and these images, and these canisters, and what’s in them, and what it represents to not just Italy, it represents something to the world about film history.”
“It’s quite a responsibility, what you’ve been entrusted with,” I stated. “Yes, it is. It’s a big responsibility, and there’s no turning back. You can’t just turn back and say, ‘okay, I’m done with this’. We have a commitment to carry this forward and bring it to the next generation. My daughter is studying media arts. I’m thrilled that I can take this and bring it into her world. Given she’s traveled to Italy, and she’s in awe of the land and the culture. So yes, I’m very proud!”
“So, let’s come to that. It’s an amazing story. You know, you bought a priceless collection. You don’t have to tell me the number, but I’m sure it has some zeros at the end of it. You have partners involved in it, but you’re the Managing Director of Fellini Forever, so, where from here?”
“There’s a grand future for ‘Fellini Forever.’ We’ve had discussions with the Italian Consulate General’s office about the possibility of establishing an Italian Cinema Fellini Museum, a tribute to the maestro’s enduring influence on the world of film. We have plans for a traveling exhibit and collaborations with prestigious institutions in Toronto and New York that are also on the horizon.
As the Managing Director of “Fellini Forever,” Dominic has embarked on a mission to share Fellini’s legacy with the world. The collection has become a source of inspiration for filmmakers, scholars, and art enthusiasts. Universities, art galleries, and film festivals expressed keen interest in showcasing the memorabilia, recognizing its cultural and historical significance.
Through it all, Dominic has remained steadfast in his commitment to preserving and promoting Fellini’s legacy. His dedication to this endeavor was not only a testament to his love for film but also a profound recognition of the impact that Fellini had on the art of storytelling. With each step forward, “Fellini Forever” continues to solidify its position as a guardian of cinematic history. – VV
Photography and videography by Scott Lennon, video editing by Amy Pigeon
Author’s note: A special thank you to my good friend Vincenzo Antonacci for introducing me to Dominic
