Cinema Paradiso (1988): A Love Letter to Movies
Cinema Paradiso, which is also famously known as Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, is an Italian film directed by Giuseppe Tornatore and released in 1988. It revolves around the world of famous film director Salvatore Di Vita who revisits his home village where he was once little “Toto”, for the funeral of one of his oldest friends, Alfredo. For most of the film, the scenes recount occasions from his childhood, especially the development of his friendship with the middle-aged projectionist Alfredo through his growing love for movies. Over the years, several incidents occur — for instance, Toto steps into the role of projectionist as well, the theater has an unfortunate fire mishap once, Toto experiences a short-lived dalliance with a love interest, and Alfredo advices Toto that their town is far too small and that he must move away to pursue his dreams. With the intensity of emotion, nostalgia, and hope embedded into every instance of the film, Cinema Paradiso as well as its contemporaries were a kind of a breath of fresh air from its predecessor — Italian Neorealism. It strays from past conventions to portray a more nuanced, emotionally complex, personal yet universally significant story that also works as an ode to cinema and to friendship.
In one scene, as Alfredo can be seen working away at the projector, he peers through at the screen which is shared by two other…
