Welcome to the Kursaal Cinema, located in Via Vittorio Emanuele in Orria. It is one of the oldest cinemas in Cilento, founded by Erminio Passaro in the 1950s. Erminio began showing shows outdoors during the summer and in occasional venues during the winter, covering the entire Cilento area. Construction began in 1955 on land he owned, and in 1956 I was inaugurated as ‘Kursaal’.
A Historical Meeting Point
The Kursaal Cinema was a meeting point and connection to the rest of the world. People could see great Hollywood and Italian films with actors such as Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren and Totò. It was a time when you could smoke inside, creating a thick cloud of smoke during screenings. I saw many couples form in my hall, some of whom later married and started families.
Renewal and Innovation
When Erminio’s sons took over the management, a new life began for me. Giovanni, Cesare and Patrizio renovated my hall in 1984, improving my acoustics, lighting and adding air conditioners, a rarity at the time. I was divided into three rooms: box office and box office, stalls and gallery. With the introduction of a digital system and automated projection systems, I became a state-of-the-art cinema.
Culture and Entertainment for Orria
I screened first-run films that not only offered entertainment, but also culture, making me a unique venue for Orria. Giovanni worked with commitment and passion to meet the expectations of film lovers, attracting hundreds of thousands of spectators from all over Cilento and the province of Salerno. I was appreciated for the quality of the films, the services, the comfort of the theatre and the warm welcome, as well as the reduced ticket prices.
Promotion of the Territory
The Kursaal Cinema has also contributed to the promotion of the area, helping other local businesses such as the Bar Bella Orria, which has increased its prestige thanks to the tastings and local specialities offered to cinema visitors. I am proud to have brought Orria’s name to the top.
Closure and the Dream of Rebirth
However, from the 2000s onwards, I went through difficult times due to the challenges of the big screen, gradually losing viewers until I closed down for good on 6 January 2014. Thus ended a piece of my country’s history, but I still dream that I can still be useful to my community.
A Heritage to be Valued
My story is one of dedication, love, worship of the meeting place, amplification of the human relationship, hospitality, generosity and sociability. These characteristics have made me ‘famous’. My walls still hold 200 seats that could accommodate people for meetings, conferences, exhibitions and theatre performances. I dream of returning to welcome the community, allowing them to be together.
I would like the people of Orrio to valorise my story, perhaps dedicating a street to me, ‘the Via del Cinema’, with phrases and images from the most famous films shown in my theatre. The film ‘Nuovo Cinema Paradiso’ seems to tell my story, and I entrust my dreams to Alessandro, who participated with his family in the shooting of the short film ‘Negli occhi e nel cuor il desiderio del ritorno’. I hope that the magic and emotions of watching a show together can continue over time.
Author of the drawing: Alessandro Di Fiore, 11 years old.
Project coordinators: Domenica and Ornella Mastrogiovanni, Adele Missano.