No matter how much he’s been ingrained into the widely established film canon, especially as far as foreign-language filmmakers go, Federico Fellini‘s oeuvre is often pared down to a handful of titles made within a ten-or-so-year span. It would take years (or decades) for some of the later, more eccentric work to earn the same level of recognition — so, whether or not this accomplishes anything, Cohen Media Group’s recent restoration and forthcoming release of his 1980 picture City of Women is good reason to explore a master more deeply.

The picture’s described as “the start of the Maestro’s delirious late period” and sold here as another fantasy-driven, sex-laced Mastroianni-starrer — in other words, the sort of things people have exalted Fellini for time and again. With City of Women now looking more beautiful than ever, count me among those who will look to rectify this blind spot in a couple of months’ time.

Have a look at the trailer (via Apple):

Synopsis:

Federico Fellini’s epic 1980 fantasia introduced the start of the Maestro’s delirious late period. A surrealist tour-de-force filmed on soundstages and locations alike, and overflowing with the same sensory (and sensual) invention heretofore found only in the classic movie-musicals (and Fellini’s own oeuvre), City of Women (La città delle donne) taps into the era’s restless youth culture, coalescing into nothing less than Fellini’s post-punk opus.

City of Women will come to theaters on February 19.