Italian film exhibition features eight classic movies

From September 15 to 24, the Italian film exhibition titled "Echoes of the Times: Journey to Italy" will be hosted at the Shanghai Film Art Center. It will be the first film exhibition at the renovated film theater following its stunning debut as the main site for the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival in June.

As one of the largest theaters in China and a cultural landmark of the city, the Shanghai Film Art Center will show eight classic Italian movies at its Dolby Auditorium, the only one in Asia.

The masterpieces were selected by the film exhibition's organizer, the Shanghai Film Group, and film critics from the China Film Archive, to represent the achievements and developments in Italian cinema over the past half century. Most of the movies have been restored using 4K technology.

The movies are "The Earrings of Madame De," "Cinema Paradiso," "The Leopard," "The Best of Youth," "The Red Desert," "Rocco and His Brothers," "The Conformist," and "The Postman."

Shot in a variety of genres and artistic styles, the movies showcase the diverse schools and film movements of Italian cinema, such as "Italian Neorealism," which mainly tells stories of poverty and working-class struggles in post-war Italy.

In the drama film "The Earrings of Madame De," a pair of earrings are central as they pass through a series of betrayals and romances. "Cinema Paradiso" depicts a filmmaker's heartwarming childhood friendship with a cinema projectionist.

"The Leopard," set in 1860s Sicily, revolves around the efforts of the Prince of Salina, a noble aristocrat, to preserve his family and class amid social upheavals.

Running for 366 minutes, the Italian epic film "The Best of Youth" will be screened in its full version. It follows the lives of an ordinary Italian family from the 1960s to the 2000s.

"The Red Desert" is a story of an anxious woman who attempts to cope with the emptiness and coldness of life by starting an affair with a co-worker, while "Rocco and His Brothers" follows the new lives of Rocco and his four brothers after moving from a poor town to the city of Milan.

"The Conformist" centers on a weak-willed Italian man's assassination attempt on his old teacher. "The Postman" portrays how a simple Italian postman woos a local beauty with the help of a famous poet.

As the birthplace of Chinese cinema, Shanghai also has countless connections with Italy. Italian film exhibitions and master retrospectives have been featured many times at the city's important cultural galas, including the Shanghai International Film Festival, nurturing many local fans of Italian film.

The Italian film exhibition, also a program of the 34th Shanghai Tourism Festival, will collaborate with many film viewing groups in the city to present activities such as film salons and workshops.

Organizers will present movie buffs with a new "movie+" viewing experience that is combined with fashion, tourism, and other forms of entertainment.

After watching movies at the theater, audience members can also embark on a "Light and Shadow Journey." Diverse travel routes of iconic urban cultural sites that include the Shanghai Film Museum and Shanghai Film Park are specially designed to offer people insights into the city's cinematic history and glamour.

Screening info:

Date: September 15-24

Tel: 6280-6088

Venue: Shanghai Film Art Center

Address: 160 Xinhua Rd

新華路160號

How to purchase tickets

1. In addition to buying tickets at the Shanghai Film Art Center, Maoyan and Taopiaopiao are available for online ticket purchases for "Echoes of the Times: Journey to Italy".

2. Download Maoyan Pro app and click "me". Go to "settings" and then select "English version".