Cinema Paradiso (Nuovo Cinema Paradiso)
Special Screening
Giuseppe Tornatore / Feature Narrative / Italy, France / 1988 / 124 min / Colour / HDCAM
In Italian / Arabic, English subtitles
Interests: Coming of Age, Drama, Romance, Family Friendly
N/A
Synopsis
An irresistible love letter to cinema – as much to the bricks-and-mortar building as to the films shown within – ‘Cinema Paradiso’ was only Giuseppe Tornatore’s second feature, but already demonstrates his trademark sweeping emotional energy. It tells the story of young Salvatore – or ‘Toto’ – as he discovers the magical world of the movies with the help of Alfredo (a magnificent performance by Philippe Noiret), the grumpy old projectionist at the local cinema. The film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes in 1989 and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film the following spring, draws much of its strength from Tornatore’s loving re-creation of a bygone era, switching between Salvatore in the 80s, when he is a famous film director, and Toto’s small-town childhood. And it saves the best for last, when Salvatore projects a reel of film that Alfredo has given him as a gift.
About the Directors
Giuseppe Tornatore was born in Bagheria, Italy in 1956. He made his feature-film debut in 1986 with ‘The Professor’; ‘Cinema Paradiso’ (1988) won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and is credited with reviving the Italian film industry. Other films include ‘The Star Maker’ (1995) and ‘The Unknown Woman’ (2006).
Credits
- Director
- Giuseppe Tornatore
- Screenwriter
- Giuseppe Tornatore, Vanna Paoli
- Producer
- Franco Cristaldi, Gabriella Carosio, Giovanna Romagnoli
- Cast
- Antonella Attili, Enzo Cannavale, Isa Danieli, Leo Gullotta