Life isn’t like in the movies. Life is much harder.
– Alfredo, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso

I may not have watched many movies in my life, but this one is absolutely my favorite of all. No substitute, no equivalent. It only lies simplicity & magic.

Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988) continuously touches my heart whenever it takes me back to the Sicilian village in Italy shortly after the WWII. By saying it “takes me back” is because I truly feel that I grew up in that unique small village while fixing my eyes in the screen. Yes, I was there.  

Without Hollywood superstars & special effects, Cinema Paradiso also shows the life of a Projectionist. Alfredo likes using film quotes to converse with Salvatore, yet I was touched by the words from him, to work as a Projectionist “you work like slave, always alone”. Working as this role for three years, I feel so engaged and share his feelings so much.

The little projection box is my private world. Here, long working hour allows me to muse, and I try not to screw things up (e.g. dropping the film reels on the floor, burning the celluloid, or even showing the film upside down), be a technician when the film do get messed up for some reason, be a teacher if we are lucky enough to have volunteer trainees, most of all, to show the film and move the audience is my greatest reward… ha, I talk too much. Blame me coz I’m a woman.  J

Be passionate to what and who you love. Be proud of who you are. Be grateful to what you have experienced in life and be exciting what life lies ahead. I’m thankful that my life is pretty rich and half full. I’m going for my other half. What about you, my friend?

P.S. There is a Hong Kong movie called “Mr. Cinema” which also tells a story about a Projectionist and 40 year history in the region.

生活並非如電影，真正的人生舞台著實更難演繹。　
– Alfredo《新天堂電影院》

 可能，我一生中沒有看過很多的電影，但這一部絕對是我最鐘情的。喜愛它的簡潔和魔力，繞樑我心，揮之不去。

 每次看《新天堂電影院》(1988) ，都會把我帶回到二次大戰以後，意大利的一條西西里村落裏。我說「把我帶回」是因為這種穿越時空、置身當地的感覺真正地令我彷如隔世，並觸動每根心弦。對，我曾駐足那兒。

  沒有荷里活明星，沒有特別效果，《新天堂電影院》卻道出了一個電影播片員的一生。Alfredo喜歡以電影對白來跟小Salvatore對話，說到我最喜愛的一句就莫過於：作為一個播片員，工作如奴隸，並經常單獨一人。由於自己在此行工作過三年的關係，對此番話覺得尤其窩心。

  這動作我做過 n次了，還偷剪了不少喜歡的片段

 這小小的播片室是我的私人世界。獨立工作讓我有空沉思，當然期間我盡量不搞亂當，例如把電影卷不掉在地上（要是掉了的話可以做死人）、播片時把膠片barbecue掉（試過一次了，幸好沒有把過百萬的機器燒掉)、甚至把電影倒轉來播（強吧，我試過三次了，各位去電影院時肯定沒試過吧，一定Ｏ哂嘴）；走運有自願者的話，就當個老師咯。不過，最令我感到值得的是可以用自己雙手把一套又一套的電影播出，感動觀眾．．．哈，可能說太多了，誰叫我是女人？　

熱愛你所愛，為自己自豪，對生活感恩，為前路的未知而興奮。對於自己多彩的生命旅程，我亳無怨言。當然，這旅程還要再走下去的，我會繼續找尋那一片未知的色彩，填滿我心。朋友們，你呢？

補充一點，港產片《老港正傳》故事也是以電影播片員為主，道出香港４０年的歷史變遷，也值得一看。