Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Cinema Paradiso

Original title: Nuovo Cinema Paradiso
  • 19881988
  • PGPG
  • 2h 35m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
255K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,775
126
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Trailer
Play trailer2:02
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance

A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist.A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist.A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist.

IMDb RATING
8.5/10
255K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,775
126
  • Director
    • Giuseppe Tornatore
  • Writers
    • Giuseppe Tornatore(story)
    • Vanna Paoli(collaborating writer)
  • Stars
    • Philippe Noiret
    • Enzo Cannavale
    • Antonella Attili
Top credits
  • Director
    • Giuseppe Tornatore
  • Writers
    • Giuseppe Tornatore(story)
    • Vanna Paoli(collaborating writer)
  • Stars
    • Philippe Noiret
    • Enzo Cannavale
    • Antonella Attili
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 588User reviews
    • 118Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Top rated movie #53
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 25 wins & 32 nominations total

    Videos2

    Cinema Paradiso
    Trailer 2:02
    Cinema Paradiso
    Cinema Paradiso
    Trailer 1:10
    Cinema Paradiso

    Photos224

    Salvatore Cascio and Philippe Noiret in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Marco Leonardi in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Jacques Perrin in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Philippe Noiret in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Marco Leonardi in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Philippe Noiret in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Marco Leonardi and Agnese Nano in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Salvatore Cascio in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Salvatore Cascio and Philippe Noiret in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Marco Leonardi and Agnese Nano in Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Philippe Noiret
    Philippe Noiret
    • Alfredoas Alfredo
    Enzo Cannavale
    Enzo Cannavale
    • Spaccaficoas Spaccafico
    Antonella Attili
    Antonella Attili
    • Maria Di Vita - Youngeras Maria Di Vita - Younger
    Isa Danieli
    Isa Danieli
    • Annaas Anna
    Leo Gullotta
    Leo Gullotta
    • Usheras Usher
    Marco Leonardi
    Marco Leonardi
    • Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Teenageras Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Teenager
    Pupella Maggio
    Pupella Maggio
    • Maria Di Vita - Olderas Maria Di Vita - Older
    Agnese Nano
    Agnese Nano
    • Elena Mendolaas Elena Mendola
    Leopoldo Trieste
    Leopoldo Trieste
    • Father Adelfioas Father Adelfio
    Salvatore Cascio
    Salvatore Cascio
    • Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Childas Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Child
    Tano Cimarosa
    Tano Cimarosa
    • Blacksmithas Blacksmith
    Nicola Di Pinto
    Nicola Di Pinto
    • Village Idiotas Village Idiot
    Roberta Lena
    Roberta Lena
    • Liaas Lia
    Nino Terzo
    Nino Terzo
    • Peppino's Fatheras Peppino's Father
    Jacques Perrin
    Jacques Perrin
    • Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Adultas Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita - Adult
    Nellina Laganà
    Turi Giuffrida
    Mariella Lo Giudice
    • Director
      • Giuseppe Tornatore
    • Writers
      • Giuseppe Tornatore(story) (screenplay)
      • Vanna Paoli(collaborating writer)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Life Is Beautiful
    8.6
    Life Is Beautiful
    The Lives of Others
    8.4
    The Lives of Others
    Rear Window
    8.5
    Rear Window
    City Lights
    8.5
    City Lights
    Modern Times
    8.5
    Modern Times
    Casablanca
    8.5
    Casablanca
    Amadeus
    8.4
    Amadeus
    Witness for the Prosecution
    8.4
    Witness for the Prosecution
    Once Upon a Time in the West
    8.5
    Once Upon a Time in the West
    City of God
    8.6
    City of God
    Sunset Blvd.
    8.4
    Sunset Blvd.
    Apocalypse Now
    8.5
    Apocalypse Now

    Storyline

    Edit
    A boy who grew up in a native Sicilian Village returns home as a famous director after receiving news about the death of an old friend. Told in a flashback, Salvatore reminiscences about his childhood and his relationship with Alfredo, a projectionist at Cinema Paradiso. Under the fatherly influence of Alfredo, Salvatore fell in love with film making, with the duo spending many hours discussing about films and Alfredo painstakingly teaching Salvatore the skills that became a stepping stone for the young boy into the world of film making. The film brings the audience through the changes in cinema and the dying trade of traditional film making, editing and screening. It also explores a young boy's dream of leaving his little town to foray into the world outside. —Clarisse P.
    • film projectionist
    • cinema
    • flashback
    • blind man
    • nostalgia
    • 178 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A celebration of youth, friendship, and the everlasting magic of the movies.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was shot in Bagheria, Sicily, Giuseppe Tornatore's hometown. The director largely drew on his childhood experiences there as inspiration for the film.
    • Goofs
      Toto as a child is shown to be left-handed during the school examination sequence, but as a young man he is right-handed as he marks off the days on the calendar. In addition, when in the army, he fires the rifle right-handed.
    • Quotes

      Alfredo: Living here day by day, you think it's the center of the world. You believe nothing will ever change. Then you leave: a year, two years. When you come back, everything's changed. The thread's broken. What you came to find isn't there. What was yours is gone. You have to go away for a long time... many years... before you can come back and find your people. The land where you were born. But now, no. It's not possible. Right now you're blinder than I am.

      Salvatore: Who said that? Gary Cooper? James Stewart? Henry Fonda? Eh?

      Alfredo: No, Toto. Nobody said it. This time it's all me. Life isn't like in the movies. Life... is much harder.

    • Alternate versions
      Originally presented at the EuropaCinema Festival in a 173-minute edition. It was there released in Italy at 155 minutes; after a very poor box office performance, the film was pulled out of circulation and shortened to 124 minutes. After it won the Special Jury Prize at the 1989 Cannes festival and the Best Foreign Film Oscar, it was re-released in Italy on video first in its initial 155 minutes cut and then in the original 173-minutes director's cut.
    • Connections
      Edited into Lo schermo a tre punte (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (Titoli)
      Written by Ennio Morricone

    User reviews588

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Every Filmmaker's Favorite Film
    Giuseppe Tornatore's Nuovo cinema Paradiso (Cinema Paradiso) is everything good about the movies. It is a story about love. The love between a Father and Son, an Individual and his home, and the love for the movies. Even if this is not your favorite film, if you are a filmmaker, you have no choice but to say this is your all time favorite film (if not one of the greatest films ever made). If only for the movie's ending, this is a great film. The ending answers all of your questions and completes the story. The missing love from a Man's life. The missing pieces to all the stories (movies) found and made into a whole. The final message from beyond the grave, the ending is perfect. If the musical score doesn't put you in tears, the amazing visuals will push you over the edge. This is what all movies should be about. Terrific.
    helpful•163
    38
    • caspian1978
    • Feb 12, 2005

    FAQ4

    • How was this film eligible to be nominated at the 62nd Academy Awards, held in March 1990, when it had apparently only opened in the USA that February?
    • Is 'Cinema Paradiso' based on a book?
    • What is it that Toto's mother should never tell Toto?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 23, 1990 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Cinema Paradiso: The New Version
    • Filming locations
      • Cefalù, Palermo, Sicily, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Cristaldifilm
      • Les Films Ariane
      • Rai 3
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $5,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $12,397,210
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $16,552
      • Feb 4, 1990
    • Gross worldwide
      • $13,019,063
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

    Related news

    Cannes Market Celebrates Decades of Legendary Parties, Deals and More
    Cannes Market Celebrates Decades of Legendary Parties, Deals and More
    May 10Variety Film + TV
    ‘Pompo the Cinephile’ Film Review: Anime Crafts a Sweet-Natured Valentine to Filmmaking
    ‘Pompo the Cinephile’ Film Review: Anime Crafts a Sweet-Natured Valentine to Filmmaking
    Apr 28The Wrap

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988) in Canada?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.