Cinema Paradiso [PG]

Salvatore is a great filmmaker who has not been home to his small Sicilian town for 30 years. That is until he is contacted by his mother and told the news that “Alfredo is dead”. Immediately, Salvatore begins to remember his childhood in the 1950s when, as a boy, he spent most of his time in the Cinema Paradiso, being enchanted by the magic of the films and becoming lifelong friends with projectionist, Alfredo. 

Earning its place in The Book, this is a truly wonderful and moving piece of cinema that is a memorable taste of both nostalgia and the true magic of cinema. Winner of the 1998 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Cinema Paradiso is an amazing piece of work that harbours something for everyone. 

Salvatore is a great filmmaker who has not been home to his small Sicilian town for 30 years. That is until he is contacted by his mother and told the news that “Alfredo is dead.” Immediately, Salvatore begins to remember his childhood in the 1950s when, as a boy, he spent most of his time in the Cinema Paradiso, being enchanted by the magic of the films and becoming lifelong friends with the projectionist, Alfredo. 

At its base, Cinema Paradiso is a lovely film about the friendship that develops between a boy and a man who both share a common love: films. But overlapping that base are layers and layers of different kinds of love and milestones that make the film more and more autobiographical and easy to relate to. Director Guiseppe Tornatore has created a truly memorable and nostalgic film that reminds all who see it of their first trips to the movies and what the films and the cinema meant for them. 

We also see the evolution of cinema, from the projection technology to pictures in colour, which really opens your eyes as to what we have achieved and just, generally, how things have changed. It just has to be said that this film has brought many memories of many people onto screen and shown them to thousands of people who missed out on these major changes so that they may be marvelled at and admired. It’s an amazing look at the past and present and special applause has to be given to Phillipe Noiret who played Alfredo, one of the most moving and memorable performances I have seen. 

Starring Antonella Attili, Marco Leonardi, Pupella Maggio, Agnese Nano, Leopoldo Trieste, Salvatore Cascio, and Jacques Perrin, Cinema Paradiso is a remarkable film that is filled with love, heart, romance, comedy, sex, friendship, drama, and memories. It’s an amazing cinematic achievement that will invoke an emotional response from anyone and everyone who makes up its audience.