Trenta Sono il Nuovo Ventuno

Apparently, Fellini started it. The Times' A.O. Scott says that the Italian director's second film, i Vitteloni, laid the foundation for much of American cinema and inspired a generation of 30-obsessed film makers:

"Without Fellini's sweet, lyrical story of a group of young men drifting aimlessly toward 30, we would probably not have 'American Graffiti' or 'Mean Streets' or 'Diner.' Nor would we have the countless mid-90's comedies of male friendship and 20-something commitment-phobia that followed."

Catch i Vitteloni at the Film Forum in NYC through Thursday.

Fellini at The Film Forum
Adrift in Postwar Italy, Perilously Close to 30 [nytimes.com]