City of Women

City of Women

Year: 1980

Runtime: 140 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Federico Fellini

ComedyFantasyAdventure

The charismatic Snaporaz meets an alluring woman on a train and chases her into a forest, only to arrive at a hotel where a feminist conference convenes. Unwelcome among the all‑female guests, the bewildered Snaporaz soon realizes he has entered a phantasmagoric, surreal realm where women have seized power.

City of Women (1980) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at City of Women (1980) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a sun‑drenched Italian landscape a charismatic traveler named Snàporaz awakens on a train to a fleeting encounter with an enigmatic woman in the bathroom. Their brief, electric connection propels him off the rails and into a lush forest, where the ordinary world begins to dissolve. The trail leads him to an elegant hotel that has been transformed into the bustling heart of a feminist convention, a place where the usual power dynamics are turned upside‑down and the atmosphere hums with lively debate and surreal spectacle.

Inside this uncanny sanctuary, Snàporaz finds himself a lone male amidst a sea of confident, outspoken women. The hotel’s corridors pulse with avant‑garde discussions, theatrical performances, and striking visual statements that hint at a world where gender roles have been reimagined. As he navigates conference halls that feel more like stages for symbolic rituals than ordinary meeting rooms, his bewilderment grows, and the line between reality and dream‑like fantasy blurs. A young woman named Donatella appears as a possible guide, offering a glimpse of hospitality while underscoring the strange, almost theatrical nature of his surroundings.

The film unfolds with a tone that balances witty satire and baroque whimsy, bathing every scene in bright colors, exaggerated set pieces, and a playful yet disconcerting soundtrack that drifts between Italo‑disco beats and classic tunes. Its visual style is deliberately phantasmagoric, turning ordinary spaces into surreal canvases that reflect the internal disorientation of the protagonist. Through Snàporaz’s eyes, the audience is invited to question the constructions of masculinity and power in a world where the usual hierarchies have been whimsically upended.

Ultimately, the story is less about a resolved conflict than about an immersive, curiosity‑driven journey. Snàporaz drifts through a kaleidoscopic realm of ideas, humor, and heightened sensibility, leaving viewers to wonder how far the dream‑like excursion will carry him and what revelations may surface when a man confronts a society turned on its head.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 17:50

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Surreal satirical dream journeys like in City of Women

Illogical and fantastical voyages through dreamlike worlds that critique society.Discover films with dreamlike logic and biting social commentary. If you enjoyed the bizarre, surreal world and feminist critique of City of Women, you'll find similar movies here that use fantasy and satire to explore complex themes.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread unfold as episodic journeys through a symbolic landscape, guided by dream logic rather than cause and effect. The protagonist is often a bewildered observer navigating a series of absurd or grotesque encounters that collectively build a thematic argument.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared commitment to a surreal, non-linear structure and a satirical tone. They prioritize mood, conceptual exploration, and visual invention over conventional storytelling, creating a uniquely disorienting and intellectually playful experience.

Satirical films about gender and power like City of Women

Witty and absurd examinations of social hierarchies and identity through a comedic lens.Explore movies that humorously and surreally tackle themes of feminism and masculinity. If you liked the sharp gender politics and satirical edge of City of Women, this list features similar comedies and fantasies with intellectual bite.

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Narrative Summary

Stories typically place a character, often representing a conventional viewpoint, into an inverted or exaggerated social structure. The narrative conflict arises from their struggle to adapt, serving as a catalyst for a humorous and thought-provoking critique of established norms.

Why These Movies?

They share a central thematic focus on deconstructing gender roles and power structures, executed with a mix of high humor and intellectual satire. The tone balances whimsy with pointed commentary, creating an experience that is both entertaining and provocative.

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Don't stop at just watching — explore City of Women in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what City of Women is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

City of Women Summary

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City of Women Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in City of Women

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Characters, Settings & Themes in City of Women

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