Orchestra Rehearsal
Dir: Federico Fellini
1978
*****
Federico Fellini's Orchestra Rehearsal is art imitating life. It is a truly wonderful film. Every person (and instrument) in the Orchestra represents a figure in modern society and as we meet them individually, we see that sometimes they cannot always work together, often for good reason but generally for a lack of understanding. With the arrival of the conductor, ideas of socialism vs. fascism soon appear and music is overshadowed by war and anarchy. Only when the Orchestra is threatened by the ever-present reality of oppression does it work in a pure and beautiful harmony. An excellent piece, beautifully written with a cast that does it justice. So few people seem to have seen it but please don't deprive yourself this masterpiece.