Federico Fellini attached a note to himself below the camera's eyepiece which read, "Remember, this is a comedy."
In 2002, named by "Positif" (France) as one of the 50 best films of the last 50 years (critics' choice: #3)
Italian censorship visa # 39461 delivered on 6-2-1963.
The film's working title was "La Bella Confusione", i.e. "The Beautiful Confusion".
The title refers to the number of movies Federico Fellini had directed up until that point - six features, two short (1/2) films and "half a picture" ("Luci del Varieta'" his first, co-directed with Alberto Lattuada), for a total of 7 1/2. So this one is number 8 1/2.
Was the basis for the Broadway Musical "Nine", which won the Tony for best musical in 1982 and for best musical revival in 2003.