Your letter needs to be made into a non sequential sequel to *Nuovo Cinema Paradiso*— an ode to cinema and a way of life. Who would you choose to direct the film and score the soundtrack? Who would be your personal Morricone?
Thank you, Akiko! Ah, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, what a beauty! Who would I choose. Such a difficult question. If I could take them back in a time machine, I would certainly choose Federico Fellini as director and Bill Evans for the music.
A daunting task to revisit places from your childhood, often those rosy memories may be destroyed by it forever. Loved the twist at the end. Regarding Italian classics, I watched “Ladri di biciclette” (with English subtitles) recently. A perfect film.
Yes, Alexander, this is very true. It is an exercise to carry out carefully. Ladri di biciclette is just a timeless masterpiece. Glad to hear that you liked it. :)
I'm away from your writing for a few weeks and come back to this cinema-infused entry, what a treat!
Really hard not to think of Cinema Paradiso when reading this, and also very interesting to know the backstory of why you watch so few films.
You have to tell me some other time about the name of the town in Puglia, if possible. I have really fond memories of Puglia, but they were imagined, since all my family read a book called La Casa Rossa that happens in there, and we'd comment on it and how idyllic that part of Italy sounds. Up until a few years ago Puglia for me was imagined, but when I did visit it lived to the image and deeply loved it. It was lovely reading about it from your perspective.
And well, needless to say, such beautiful stories and writing, as always, dear Silvio.
Thank you so much, Oscar! This, of course, is a piece of autofiction. Real stuff in this story is maybe about 30%. You’re right about Puglia, and if I had to put a name to that little town, I’d probably say Ostuni or Otranto or Gallipoli.
...i took a course on neorealism in college and got to watch film prints of all the italian cinema classics of fellini, bertolucci, etc. and truly cannot recommend a better use of fall evenings than doing such a thing...even better if it could manage to take place outdoors and in the world with others...the flapping of film reels is such a sweet sound...
What a dream to live next to an outdoor cinema with vintage Italian films! Such a great story of home places, family, intertextuality with the magic of film... I love the way you include Italian seamlessly as well as moments of the cinema itself.
To be banned from film at 8, it feels like a Shakespearean exile or injustice at least. These movements through time and space you somehow contain so effortlessly in this single letter, Silvio. Brava!
Thank you so much, Kate! My ban was a gentle reminder that tickets should be paid lol. I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, picking up on all the right themes and structural nuances. Grazie!
“As the sound of the film prevailed over the cicadas, I slowly slid into another world, one where I myself dictated the scenography of spoken emotions, where cinema turned into a strictly personal sonic experience.”
I read this paragraph out to Andrew. It was a beautiful moment to let our imagination run loose.
Thank you so much, Eric. You picked a key paragraph, the essence of it all. So glad to hear you chose to read it out to Andrew. Really, I'm so pleased!
Yet again you leave me with chills, Silvio. Your writing imparts the threads of memory and the past, of longing and desire, all suffused with that moment when things aren't quite the reality they seem and we, the reader, straddle a moment in time only you could craft.
"Exiting the highway, the scent of jasmine was as intense as it had been back then, and as I was approaching the seashore, I felt a strange light-headedness. I got to center town late at night, my footsteps echoing on the cobblestone streets." -- we are there with you.
I felt a tingle of excitement and the surreal when that envelope was handed over.
Such a magical and spot-on comment, Nathan. Like all of yours, after all. Reading here what my words may elicit in sensitive readers like you fills me with joy and humbles me as well. Thank you so much, my friend, for these beautiful words. :)
I always love the way these notes factor in to your stories, and this one is a very provocative finish. "‘Would you be capable of leaving everything behind and starting your life over from scratch?’. "
Your letter needs to be made into a non sequential sequel to *Nuovo Cinema Paradiso*— an ode to cinema and a way of life. Who would you choose to direct the film and score the soundtrack? Who would be your personal Morricone?
Thank you, Akiko! Ah, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, what a beauty! Who would I choose. Such a difficult question. If I could take them back in a time machine, I would certainly choose Federico Fellini as director and Bill Evans for the music.
A daunting task to revisit places from your childhood, often those rosy memories may be destroyed by it forever. Loved the twist at the end. Regarding Italian classics, I watched “Ladri di biciclette” (with English subtitles) recently. A perfect film.
Yes, Alexander, this is very true. It is an exercise to carry out carefully. Ladri di biciclette is just a timeless masterpiece. Glad to hear that you liked it. :)
Indeed, I went back to Rabac to my childhood vacation place once, I wish I hadn’t.
I'm away from your writing for a few weeks and come back to this cinema-infused entry, what a treat!
Really hard not to think of Cinema Paradiso when reading this, and also very interesting to know the backstory of why you watch so few films.
You have to tell me some other time about the name of the town in Puglia, if possible. I have really fond memories of Puglia, but they were imagined, since all my family read a book called La Casa Rossa that happens in there, and we'd comment on it and how idyllic that part of Italy sounds. Up until a few years ago Puglia for me was imagined, but when I did visit it lived to the image and deeply loved it. It was lovely reading about it from your perspective.
And well, needless to say, such beautiful stories and writing, as always, dear Silvio.
Thank you so much, Oscar! This, of course, is a piece of autofiction. Real stuff in this story is maybe about 30%. You’re right about Puglia, and if I had to put a name to that little town, I’d probably say Ostuni or Otranto or Gallipoli.
Ohh got it Silvio! I thought it was the other way around, like maybe 30% was made up, mostly the last third. Nice!
I really loved Gallipoli and Otranto, and Ostuni I still have to visit.
Some pieces are indeed mostly real, with that percentage referring to the fiction part. This one went like that :)
...i took a course on neorealism in college and got to watch film prints of all the italian cinema classics of fellini, bertolucci, etc. and truly cannot recommend a better use of fall evenings than doing such a thing...even better if it could manage to take place outdoors and in the world with others...the flapping of film reels is such a sweet sound...
Thank you so much, CansaFis, for sharing that! I myself have lots of catching up to do on those masterpieces. :)
What a dream to live next to an outdoor cinema with vintage Italian films! Such a great story of home places, family, intertextuality with the magic of film... I love the way you include Italian seamlessly as well as moments of the cinema itself.
To be banned from film at 8, it feels like a Shakespearean exile or injustice at least. These movements through time and space you somehow contain so effortlessly in this single letter, Silvio. Brava!
Thank you so much, Kate! My ban was a gentle reminder that tickets should be paid lol. I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, picking up on all the right themes and structural nuances. Grazie!
I absolutely love all your creations. They are a joy to read and savor.
Thank you so much, Julie, for your super kind words!
Your premise and lovely ending wrap around my suspension of belief--I love it!
Thank you, Jill! "[...] Wrap around my suspension of belief" -- such lovely words.
“As the sound of the film prevailed over the cicadas, I slowly slid into another world, one where I myself dictated the scenography of spoken emotions, where cinema turned into a strictly personal sonic experience.”
I read this paragraph out to Andrew. It was a beautiful moment to let our imagination run loose.
Bravo!
Thank you so much, Eric. You picked a key paragraph, the essence of it all. So glad to hear you chose to read it out to Andrew. Really, I'm so pleased!
Yet again you leave me with chills, Silvio. Your writing imparts the threads of memory and the past, of longing and desire, all suffused with that moment when things aren't quite the reality they seem and we, the reader, straddle a moment in time only you could craft.
"Exiting the highway, the scent of jasmine was as intense as it had been back then, and as I was approaching the seashore, I felt a strange light-headedness. I got to center town late at night, my footsteps echoing on the cobblestone streets." -- we are there with you.
I felt a tingle of excitement and the surreal when that envelope was handed over.
Such a magical and spot-on comment, Nathan. Like all of yours, after all. Reading here what my words may elicit in sensitive readers like you fills me with joy and humbles me as well. Thank you so much, my friend, for these beautiful words. :)
I always love the way these notes factor in to your stories, and this one is a very provocative finish. "‘Would you be capable of leaving everything behind and starting your life over from scratch?’. "
It is indeed, Rick. It might well be one of the key ingredients of an infinite life. Thank you, my friend.
I like how you trip in magical realism. ✨️
Thank you, Lisa!