NOWNESS – a global video channel known for its carefully curated, artistic short films – presents Summer of Fellini, a surreal, non-linear short film by LA-based director duo and sisters Nicola and Juliana Giraffe.
Blending playful visual symbolism with personal narrative, the film takes viewers into an off-kilter dreamscape, exploring the tensions, humor, and quiet boredom of a family holiday.
From Family Vacation to Artistic Vision
Casting their real-life parents, Mark Cleveland Rowlands and Monica Adriana Rowlands, alongside themselves, Nicola and Juliana transform a summer trip into Europe into a cinematic meditation on family dynamics. With nothing more than a suitcase filled with black clothes, a wig for their mother, horn-rimmed glasses for their father, and inspiration from a recent viewing of La Dolce Vita, the sisters embarked on a creative experiment.
Shot over a month in Portugal, Spain, and England, the film evolved without a script or crew. Instead, it unfolded as a stream-of-consciousness journey through loose summer days, where moments were captured and collaged into a hallucinatory origin story.
A Therapeutic Collaboration
Originally conceived as a way to survive the inevitable tensions of a family trip, Summer of Fellini became an intimate, therapeutic project. It bridged the emotional distance between its participants, transforming everyday interactions into art. The sisters’ ability to infuse their personal history with visual poetry invites viewers to reflect on the universal complexity – and beauty – of family life.
Watch the film on NOWNESS: nowness.com