How did Federico Fellini begin his career in Rome?

Federico Fellini began his career in Rome in the late 1930s after moving there with his mother and brother. He initially survived by selling cartoons, gags, and stories to the humor magazine Marc’Aurelio.1

During World War II, he expanded his work into radio, writing scripts for the serial Cico e Pallina, which starred his future wife, Giulietta Masina. His transition into cinema occurred in 1944 when he met director Roberto Rossellini. Fellini joined the writing team for the landmark Neorealist film Rome, Open City (1945), a contribution that earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Following this success, he became a prominent screenwriter, collaborating on various projects before making his directorial debut with Variety Lights in 1950.1