Cinema Paradiso
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.
Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore · Drama · Romance · 124 min · 1988
Trailer
Director
Giuseppe Tornatore
Writer
Giuseppe Tornatore
Studio
Cristaldi Film / Les Films Ariane / RAI / TF1 / Forum Picture
Release
1988-11-17
Runtime
124 min
Genres
Drama, Romance
Full Plot
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.
Cast & Characters
Alfredo
Philippe Noiret
Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (adult)
Jacques Perrin
Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (teen)
Marco Leonardi
Salvatore 'Totò' Di Vita (child)
Salvatore Cascio
Elena Mendola (teen) / Elena's daughter (in Director's cut)
Agnese Nano
Maria Di Vita (young)
Antonella Attili
old Maria
Pupella Maggio
adult Elena (director's cut only)
Brigitte Fossey
Spaccafico
Enzo Cannavale
Anna
Isa Danieli
Father Adelfio
Leopoldo Trieste
Peppino's father
Nino Terzo
the usher
Leo Gullotta
the blacksmith
Tano Cimarosa
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $5.0M, Cinema Paradiso has grossed $36.0M worldwide — about 7.2x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Cinema Paradiso was shot in director Tornatore's hometown Bagheria, Sicily, as well as Cefalù on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Cinema Paradiso was a box-office success.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
Cinema Paradiso holds 8.4/10 on TMDb (4898 votes). (OMDb had no record for this title — sourced from TMDb instead.)
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 4, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on TMDb's aggregated score (8.4/10 on TMDb (4898 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cinema Paradiso's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Cinema Paradiso holds a 90% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Cinema Paradiso's IMDb rating?+
Cinema Paradiso has a 8.5/10 rating on IMDb from 316,943 votes.
What is Cinema Paradiso's Metacritic score?+
Cinema Paradiso has a Metascore of 80/100 on Metacritic.
Is Cinema Paradiso good? What are critics saying?+
Cinema Paradiso holds 8.4/10 on TMDb (4898 votes). (OMDb had no record for this title — sourced from TMDb instead.)
How long is Cinema Paradiso?+
Cinema Paradiso has a runtime of 124 min.
Who directed Cinema Paradiso?+
Cinema Paradiso was directed by Giuseppe Tornatore.
Where can I watch Cinema Paradiso?+
Cinema Paradiso is available to stream, rent, or buy on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, ARROW, Rakuten TV, Curzon Home Cinema, Sky Store.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The public's reaction to "Cinema Paradiso" has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising its nostalgic charm and soulful storytelling. The film is often cited as one of the greatest Italian films ever made, and its cinematography is also praised for its use of traditional film techniques. Reviews have described it as a modern fairy tale that showcases the power of cinema.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Nice comedy-drama about the youth at the small town of an Italian kid.
Andres Gomez · 8/10**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 direct…
Shreyance Parakh · 10/10When 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.…
tmdb86370050 · 9/10**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…
Filipe Manuel Neto · 10/10
From the trailer's comments
who doesnt love this movie is not a human being. no way
@MahmoudOscarMD · 152 likesBest movie, best soundtrack ever despite the loads I always cry.
@irener.3503 · 89 likesi dont know whenever i listen the theme music of this movie, tears come out from my eyes automatically.this movie is the best movie which i have ever seen, I love Cinema Paradiso
@snighdhochowdhury3651 · 71 likesThis movie is about life, the life in all its deeper aspects. Intense, true, sincere, beautiful
@danieletusa7734 · 23 likesNot the greatest foreign film of all time but THE GREATEST FILM OF ALL TIME....
@doriangray6646 · 10 likesGod, I cried during this movie....so beautiful
@ISEEKSPACE · 12 likesONE OF THE BEST FILM EVER MADE IN HISTORY ❤️😍😘👏😮✌️🎥🤗
@siddheshberde.5554 · 18 likesIt's an all time classic. The actors have not acted but lived their roles.
@gschaturvedi · 7 likes
