Cinema Paradiso (Νυονο Cinema Paradiso)

In collaboration with the Italian Institute of Education in Athens.

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Starring: Philippe Noiret, Salvatore Cascio, Jacques Perrin
Runtime: 125΄ 
Year of Production: 1988

Adorable little Toto lives in a village in southern Italy, becomes fascinated by the big screen of the local cinema and develops a deep friendship with Alfredo, the projectionist. And, just like that, we find ourselves with moist eyes and a broad smile watching a young boy in post-war Italy discovering cinema, life, and life through cinema.

It's hard to explain to someone who has yet to watch the movie why those of us who have the film imprinted in our cinephile gene are reduced to tears when the first notes of Moricone's divinely inspired musical score are heard. He'll probably understand why when it comes to that unforgettable editing of stolen kisses that symbolizes the finest gift cinema has given us: the preservation of memory, the bridging of the collective experience with the individual, our inclusion in the greatest imaginary community, whose members are equal, united by a horizontal line, made of celluloid. but who also retain their uniqueness thanks to their secret, personal projection on what takes place on the screen.

Many people tried to imitate it, even Tornatore himself, but no one succeeded and that says a lot about the lasting value of this magnificent film. Giannis Basileiou