“This loving tribute to the power and immortality of the cinema is told through the biography of a legendary movie director who is enthralled by the magic of the movies at an early age. As a boy, Salvatore spends much of his spare time at a marvellous movie theater in his small Sicilian hometown. One night he sneaks up to the projection booth and witnesses the town priest excising all the kissing scenes out of the films. This image continues to haunt him as he becomes fast friends with the quirky projectionist, Alfredo (Philippe Noiret), and his first job in the movies is as a projectionist. Through adolescence and a broken romance, through his long and successful career, through a wistful retirement, Salvatore never loses his passion for film. Cinema Paradiso a breathtaking homage to the power and glory of the cinema; for anyone who loves movies, this film (loved as the closing night film at the Cannes and Montreal festivals earlier this year) is a must.” -PSIFF 1990