A SPOTLIGHT ON... Arcadia Cinemas, Italy

The Fumagalli family have been independent cinema exhibitors for over 40 years since Piero took over Cinema Centrale in Melzo in 1979. Arcadia Cinemas have always been the first in Italy to introduce cinema technology innovations, be it, in the very early days, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS at Centrale and furthermore at Arcadia.

“At Centrale, above all, I still remember the screening, in 1988, of Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor in 70mm, with an on-site introduction by Academy Award winner cinematographer Vittorio Storaro and director Bernardo Bertolucci alongside, via a telephone connection, at that time”., Laura Explains.

ARCADIA Melzo - Milan

Piero Fumagalli, founder of Arcadia, started as an exhibitor in 1979 at Cinema Centrale in Melzo (Milan). The company has grown to be one of the most successful independent operators in the country with cinemas in Melzo (Milan), Bellinzago Lombardo (Milan), Erbusco (Brescia) and Stezzano (Bergamo), all in the north of Italy.

The early days at Cinema Centrale

Laura’s father Piero has a background in the music industry, with decades of experience organizing concerts and big live events, mainly in stadiums, for Italian and international singers alike.

The family opened ARCADIA Melzo, the first purpose built multiplex in Italy, on May 30th in 1997. Italy’s Vice Premier and Minister of Culture at that time, Walter Veltroni, cut the ribbon with Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” screening in 70mm. Vittorio Storaro collaborated closely with Arcadia on the overall project and on the choice of name of the cinema and screens. In ancient Greece, Arcadia was a valley where the natural elements found harmony. Aria, Acqua, Terra and Fuoco are in fact the names for the four twin halls, with 220 seats and 18 metres (60 feet) wide screens. George Lucas’ THX provided help in designing unique theatres as using acoustic and viewing parameters.

ENERGIA PLF Screen in ARCADIA Melzo

The 630-seats ENERGIA PLF screen has an impressive Harkness Perlux 1.8 gain, 30 meters (98 feet) wide screen with moving masking. The theatre is equipped with what is believed to be the largest Dolby Atmos™ configuration in the world of utilising a massive Meyer Sound™ audio system, similar to the system installed at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, CA.

In the booth there are 4 projectors: Christie Digital dual 4K laser projectors and two 70mm projectors, a Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 with platter system and a Philips DP70.

ARCADIA Melzo is the only commercial cinema in Italy equipped with 70mm/35m film projectors (one of less than twenty cinemas in Europe).

Cutting-edge technology has been at the heart of Centrale. At Arcadia, they introduced Digital Cinema as early as in 2001 showcasing their first digital movie, Disney’s “Atlantis: The Lost Empire”. The following year, in 2002, George Lucas’ s “Episode II - Attack of the Clones” was released. As a testament to the efforts made by Arcadia as an independent exhibitor, director George Lucas sent a personal video message praising Arcadia and greeting patrons among the very first audiences worldwide to experience Digital projection, the way he intended the movie to be seen.

Since 1997, ENERGIA PLF has been the reference screen for film enthusiasts in Italy who seek the very best theatrical experience.

“For us the key factors are the consistency of quality presentation over the decades, i.e. maintaining extremely high standards at all times and, also maintaining direct contact with our patrons, through various methods. This starts from welcoming them into an amazing atmosphere starting from the theatre lobby with a “life-size T-rex” replica and multiple “characters” from recent blockbusters. Uniquely, also in the theatre lobby, we host a permanent exhibition of cinema technology including an Imax 15/70mm projector and the first prototype of Cinemeccanica 5/70mm projector”.

In 2017 the care, passion, attention to detail and dedication to innovation through technology shown by Piero Fumagalli were recognized by the International Union of Cinemas with the UNIC Achievement Award at CineEurope.

In the same year, the enormous investments made for the dramatic upgrade of the Energia PLF screen were awarded with the ICTA’s “Best Screen in Europe”.

ARCADIA Stezzano - Bergamo, newest cinema, 2 ENERGIA PLF Screens

Arcadia Stezzano is the most recent addition to the Arcadia cinema chain. Located within Le Due Torri Shopping Centre in Stezzano, (a few kms away from Bergamo), it opened in October 2021. The site consists of 7 screens, all Christie Cinelife Series 4 4K RGB laser projectors with UHC lenses, all recliner seats by

Cinearredo, creating a welcoming and elegant cinema space.

Melzo’s ENERGIA PLF has been replicated in Stezzano with two screens.

Slightly smaller in terms of capacity than the one in Melzo, due to recliner seats taking up more space, the technology features of the two ENERGIA PLF screens in Stezzano are the same as Melzo. To assure the superior and unique viewing experience offered by Arcadia, the Energia PLF screens offer huge screens, a large-scale high quality immersive audio system, the comfort of seats and beautiful public areas including entrances and waiting areas.

Beyond Stezzano, Arcadia has additional cinema sites, Arcadia Bellinzago Lombardo (Milano), a 10-screen cinema situated within La Corte Lombarda Shopping Center and Arcadia Erbusco (Brescia), a 6-screen complex within Le Porte Franche Shopping Center.

Showmanship in elevating the theatrical experience

Having championed PLF experiences, Laura is convinced more than ever that PLF screens are the only true way to view content and fully appreciate the movie. “Filmmakers such as Nolan, Villeneuve, Cameron, Scorsese, Tarantino, Spielberg, Scott and Coppola are passionate about making films that should be seen with the best technology possible and fitting, at best, the screen size of PLF theatres worldwide. Arcadia has been doing just that on a day-to-day basis, passing that same passion for the theatrical experience both onto its staff and mostly onto different generations of audience members alike, it’s out our heart,” Laura explains.

“Being an independent family business gives us a 360-degree vision and understanding of the industry as a whole. It means working day after day, taking on the risks and seeing everything happening from all angles. Cinema is our lives – not just from a business standpoint but from a personal perspective too. Being able to do a job that one is so passionate about is simply a true privilege.

The Arcadia team are looking forward to showcasing Nolan’s Oppenheimer in 70mm national exclusivity in Italy, “We can’t wait, nothing is more important to us as an exhibitor than being “bearer of emotions”, being the trait-d’union between the creative mind of the director and the audience” concludes Laura.