Film: Cinema Paradiso
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Country: Italy
Released: November 1988
Runtime: 155 minutes
Genre: Historical Drama
Studio: Cristaldi Film, Les Films Ariane
Influenced: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Nanni Moretti, Guillermo del Toro, Paolo Sorrentino, Barry Jenkins
Inspired by his own childhood memories of the cinema, Sicilian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore originally conceived Cinema Paradiso as a short story, and then eventually expanded it into a screenplay. Tornatore collaborated with screenwriters Massimo Troisi and Enzo Monteleone to develop the story, which is set in a small Sicilian town in the 1950s. The film is a tribute to the impact of cinema on people's lives and its role in shaping their sense of community. The film tells the story of Salvatore, a young boy who is obsessed with the cinema. He befriends Alfredo, the projectionist at the local cinema, and they spend their days watching movies together. Alfredo teaches Salvatore everything he knows about cinema and the two of them form a close bond.
Cinema Paradiso is structured as nostalgic reminiscences. It follows the story of Salvatore Di Vita, a successful filmmaker who recalls his upbringing in a small Sicilian village and his friendship with Alfredo. The film alternates between Salvatore's memories as a young boy, played by Salvatore Cascio, and his adult life, portrayed by Philippe Noiret. Totnatore also intersperses clips from classic films including scenes starring Charlie Chaplin, Jean Gabin, Marcello Mastroianni, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, etc. There is also a homage to Luchino Visconti's La Terra Trema, including a clever joke about local Sicilians not understanding the Italian language. The film is also irreverent about Catholicism and the way in which the local priest censors the latest releases (a plot point that sets up the film's powerful and emotional finale).
Cinema Paradiso features one of the best performances by a child actor (Salvatore Cascio) in all of cinema history. As a child, Salvatore, known as Toto, becomes enchanted by the world of movies through his friendship with Alfredo. Despite the initial objections of Toto's mother, who sees the cinema as a bad influence, Toto's passion for movies and his bond with Alfredo grow stronger. The narrative explores Toto's relationships with various characters in the village, including his romantic interest Elena. However, his dreams of a future with Elena are cut short when her father forces her to leave town. This event, along with the changing dynamics of the village, eventually causes Toto to leave as well. As Toto grows older, he leaves his hometown to pursue a career in filmmaking. He eventually becomes a successful director, but he never forgets his childhood love of cinema. The film ends with Toto returning to his hometown and visiting the cinema, where he is reunited with Alfredo.
Cinema Paradiso innovatively blends elements of nostalgia, coming-of-age and cinematic self-reflexivity. It celebrates the transformative power of cinema while touching on themes of love, loss and the passage of time. The film's use of the montage of censored scenes at the end adds an extra layer of meta-commentary on censorship and the role of cinema in society. The film also shows the changing social attitudes in Italy over the decades, but at its heart Cinema Paradiso is a profound love story. There's a beautiful image when Toto returns to Giancaldo and the knitting needle of Alfredo's widow starts to unravel the garment that's been sewn together as though time itself was unravelling. The film garnered critical acclaim for its emotive storytelling and was awarded the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989, while also winning the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1990.
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