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Cinema Paradiso

Play trailer Poster for Cinema Paradiso PG 1988 2h 3m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 84 Reviews 96% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Young Salvatore Di Vita (Salvatore Cascio) discovers the perfect escape from life in his war-torn Sicilian village: the Cinema Paradiso movie house, where projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) instills in the boy a deep love of films. When Salvatore grows up, falls in love with a beautiful local girl (Agnese Nano) and takes over as the Paradiso's projectionist, Alfredo must convince Salvatore to leave his small town and pursue his passion for filmmaking.
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Cinema Paradiso

Cinema Paradiso

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Critics Consensus

Cinema Paradiso is a life-affirming ode to the power of youth, nostalgia, and the the movies themselves.

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Critics Reviews

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Tim Pulleine Sight & Sound 01/11/2020
Cinema Paradiso itself possesses enough command and self-conviction to demonstrate that movies can still manage to manifest an alternative universe. Go to Full Review
Adam Mars-Jones Independent (UK) 12/06/2018
Giuseppe Tornatore, writer and director of Cinema Paradiso, knows that the way to make shameless wallowing palatable is to make no great claims for what you are resurrecting. Go to Full Review
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk 09/06/2017
A cinema-lover's delight. Go to Full Review
William Stottor Loud and Clear Reviews 07/11/2024
5/5
One of the greatest Italian films, Cinema Paradiso is a special, timeless classic that will make you smile and weep in equal measure. Go to Full Review
David Parkinson Radio Times 07/01/2024
5/5
This is both an unashamedly sentimental rite-of-passage picture and a charming reminder of the lost magic of cinema-going. Go to Full Review
Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) 05/09/2023
3/4
The story is drawn from the director Giuseppe Tornatore's childhood memories, presented here as a series of loosely-linked episodes commemorating the importance of movies -- of art -- in the lives of people forced to manage on very little. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Nikhilesh Sep 24 If you love movies this is a must watch. My gratitude to Regal Cinemas for playing this on the big screen. See more lisa f 07/27/2023 best movie i’ve seen in 20 years! loved it! See more Alcapp 09/02/2022 Cinema Paradiso us a wonderful heart warming film. Youll laugh youll cry youll reflect. The ending is magical. See more Coni V. @conipsv 5d Maybe the best movie I’ve ever seen. Its greatest charm is that the movie knows itself. Nostalgia feeds off of there being no resolution. This movie doesn’t try to give you a resolution either. See more Hao Ian L @HaOiAn Apr 25 Tornatore's love letter to not just the silver screen but to the messy and heartbreaking beauty of growing up. See more Ilias B @RT68994946 Apr 4 For me is between 5 best movies of all time, cinema at his best! It touched me so deeply, i lived in a village in the province until the age of 11 then i moved to the big city and i identified with many moments of the film. My uncle owned a warehouse in the village where a mobile cinema used to play films some times and i have so sweet memories! See more Read all reviews
Cinema Paradiso

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Young Salvatore Di Vita (Salvatore Cascio) discovers the perfect escape from life in his war-torn Sicilian village: the Cinema Paradiso movie house, where projectionist Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) instills in the boy a deep love of films. When Salvatore grows up, falls in love with a beautiful local girl (Agnese Nano) and takes over as the Paradiso's projectionist, Alfredo must convince Salvatore to leave his small town and pursue his passion for filmmaking.
Director
Giuseppe Tornatore
Producer
Mino Barbera, Franco Cristaldi, Giovanna Romagnoli
Screenwriter
Giuseppe Tornatore
Distributor
Miramax Films, HBO
Production Co
Cristaldi Film
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Italian
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 23, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.1M
Runtime
2h 3m