Turin, Italy: Turin, a city with a deep-rooted connection to cinema, has been at the forefront of Italy’s film history. During the silent era, Turin stood as the unrivaled Italian capital of cinema, boasting numerous film studios and production houses. It was here that the first epic film in world cinema history, “Cabiria” by Giovanni Pastrone, was created. While the birth of Cinecittà later shifted the film industry to Rome, Turin has regained prominence in the last 20 years, thanks to significant political and entrepreneurial initiatives such as the National Cinema Museum, Torino Piemonte Film Commission, and the Turin Film Festival.
The First Film Screening in Italy
On November 7, 1896, Turin hosted the first film screening in Italy at the former Ospizio di Carità on via Po. Organized by photographer Vittorio Calcina, the event featured a selection of films by the Lumière brothers, supplemented by Calcina’s own works, including images of the Royal Family. This screening marked the beginning of a series of film screenings at the venue, making it the first cinema in Italy until March 3, 1897.
Pioneering Initiatives in Cinema
Turin’s contributions to cinema also include pioneering initiatives in art-house and multiscreen cinemas. Lorenzo Ventavoli played a pivotal role in this regard, with the Ventavoli circuit introducing the first art-house cinema in Italy in 1971 at Cinema Romano in Galleria Subalpina. Additionally, the Cinema Eliseo became Italy’s first multiscreen cinema following its renovation in 1983. Both cinemas, part of Turin’s rich cinema legacy, continue to operate successfully today.
Turin’s cinema heritage reflects its ongoing commitment to film culture, making it a city deeply intertwined with the evolution of Italian cinema.
