Giuseppe Tornatore to Present 4K ‘Cinema Paradiso’ at Mumbai Italian Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE)

As a cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the captivating world of cinema, I am thrilled at the prospect of Giuseppe Tornatore‘s visit to India for the first time. The opportunity to witness the 4K restoration of his masterpiece, “Cinema Paradiso,” alongside other Italian classics, is a dream come true.


Film director Giuseppe Tornatore plans to unveil a 4K remastered version of his Academy Award and Cannes Film Festival-winning movie “Cinema Paradiso” at an upcoming Italian film festival in Mumbai this September. This will be Tornatore’s inaugural trip to India, and the event is titled “Cinema Italian Style – Honoring Tornatore and Italian Cinema Masters.

Under the joint efforts of the Film Heritage Foundation, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai, Axis Bank, and educational partner Istituto Europeo di Design, this festival intends to honor the greats of Italian cinema and showcase restored masterpieces from bygone eras.

The 68-year-old movie creator’s trip involves giving the FHF Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinema Projection, instructing a workshop for budding filmmakers, and engaging in a cozy conversation about films with film lovers and experts in the field.

This year’s festival lineup highlights a compact tribute to Giuseppe Tornatore’s oeuvre, comprising “Cinema Paradiso” from 1988, “Malèna” from 2000, and the latest addition “Ennio” from 2021. Furthermore, we will present some masterfully restored Italian films, such as Luchino Visconti’s “Senso” from 1954, Federico Fellini’s iconic “La Dolce Vita” from 1960, Vittorio de Sica’s “Marriage Italian Style” from 1964, and Sergio Leone’s epic “Once Upon a Time in America” from 1984.

Tornatore expressed his excitement about visiting India for the first time. He was thrilled to learn that his movie ‘Cinema Paradiso’ is well-received in India, and he feels privileged that his films will be screened alongside the masterpieces of esteemed Italian directors such as Vittorio de Sica, Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini, and Sergio Leone.

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, head of Film Heritage Foundation, commented: “Viewing these elegantly restored masterpieces serves as a reminder that cinema is a unique artistic expression which should be safeguarded and revived for future audiences to appreciate.

Francesca Amendola, director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Mumbai, stated: “The seven Italian classic films showcased during this festival have been meticulously restored by skilled laboratories using state-of-the-art and cutting-edge technologies. It’s worth noting that one of these labs, Immagine Ritrovata from Bologna, has also played a significant role in restoring various Indian masterpieces that are part of the world heritage. For instance, they have been working on the restoration of Satyajit Ray’s ‘Apu Trilogy.’

The three-day event runs Sept. 27-29 at Mumbai’s Regal Cinema.

The latest film restoration by the Film Heritage Foundation is the 1977 classic “Ghatashraddha,” directed by Girish Kasaravalli, which had its premiere at Venice just a week ago.

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2024-09-09 04:46