A 40-year career that began with an 8mm
Acclaimed Italian filmmaker shares in master class how his love of cinema blossomed in his youth, and offers advice for other movie directors and creators to overcome modern-day challenges, Zhang Kun reports.
Born in Sicily in 1956, the director became known for his films Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, The Legend of 1900, and Malena.
Looking back at his 40-year career, Tornatore says each of his films reflects a phase in his life. Nuovo Cinema Paradiso was deeply connected to his own youthful experiences.
He recalls the first time he went to the cinema at age 6.
"When the lights went off and the surroundings instantly plunged into darkness, the close-up of characters suddenly appeared on the screen," he says.
"To a child like me, they looked like giants. I could not help but ask myself: where did these giants come from? I looked at the screen and stared at the side door next to it, thinking maybe they entered from there. But then, during the intermission, the lights came back on and the giants disappeared.
"At that time, smoking was still allowed in the cinema, and the entire screening hall was filled with smoke. I saw a bright, white beam of light piercing through the smoke and shining directly onto the screen. Following the light, I discovered it came from a small window at the back of the theater. As long as the beam of light moved, the giants on the screen would move with it. Then I understood that the secret of the movie was hidden behind that small window."
