Cinema Paradiso
An enchanted village. A wonderful friendship. Star-crossed lovers. And the magic of the movies.
1988 • 124 min • Drama · Romance
Synopsis
A filmmaker recalls his childhood, when he fell in love with the movies at his village's theater and formed a deep friendship with the theater's projectionist.
Our family guide
Best from age 13- 100 Reviewers · 3 · 53%
- 84 Audience · 4910 · 47%
An acclaimed Italian film following a successful filmmaker as he looks back on his childhood in a Sicilian village and his cherished bond with the local cinema projectionist, Alfredo. It's a nostalgic ode to the magic of movies and the bittersweet nature of memory.
- Violence & peril
- 2/10
- Language
- 2/10
- Drinking, drugs & smoking
- 3/10
- Romance & sensuality
- 4/10
- Scary moments
- 2/10
Heads up
- Some brief, non-explicit nudity and passionate kissing
- Characters smoke and drink alcohol
- Brief scenes of wartime bombing and an accidental fire
What it models well
- The power of mentorship
- Following your dreams
- Enduring friendship
- Love of art and cinema
Talk about it after
- How memories shape us
- The impact of technology on entertainment
- The meaning of true love and sacrifice
Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Cinema Paradiso. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.
Where to watch
Stream
- fuboTV
- MGM+ Amazon Channel
- Philo
- MGM Plus
fuboTV
MGM+ Amazon Channel
Philo
MGM PlusRent
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At HomeBuy
- Amazon Video
- Apple TV Store
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
- Fandango At Home
Links go straight to each service. Some are affiliate links that support Movie Knight at no cost to you. Availability data by JustWatch via TMDB.
Top billed cast
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore • Crew: Giuseppe Tornatore, Vanna Paoli, Giuseppe Tornatore
Philippe Noiret
Alfredo
Jacques Perrin
Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (adult)
Marco Leonardi
Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (teen)
Salvatore Cascio
Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (child)
Agnese Nano
Elena Mendola (teen) / Elena's daughter (in Director's cut)
Antonella Attili
Maria Di Vita (young)
Pupella Maggio
Maria Di Vita (aged)
Brigitte Fossey
Elena Mendola (adult)
Enzo Cannavale
Spaccafico
Isa Danieli
Anna
Trailers & clips
Cinema Paradiso Official Trailer
Cinema Paradiso Official 25th Anniversary trailer from Arrow Films
Reviewer notes
Recommended**Magnificent.** I saw this movie for the first time a good few years ago, but I only decided to talk about it now, after seeing it again. For me, it is one of the best Italian films ever made. It's like a modern fairy tale, showing us the fascinating side of cinema and reminding us why we love it.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewersWhen you think about cinematography, nowadays you usually think about digital cinematography. But during the early '50s, '60s, and onward, there was a use of this thing called film. Film was what they used in cameras before cameras actually saved them into memory slots digitally.…
RecommendedTrusted family reviewers**Soulful** Why did it had to end... The movie was like a breath of fresh air.Every thing about it was so refreshing and soulful that you can never get bored of it.It's one of those movies that you can watch again and again and again...The music, the story, the acting, the direction, the editing, all of it makes this an absolutely beautiful gem of a movie.…
Fan reviews
Sign in to rate and reviewBe the first fan to review this.
Gallery
Details
- TMDB audience
- 8.4/10 (4,910)
- Age rating
- PG
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $5,000,000
- Box office
- $35,962,062
- IMDb
- tt0095765
