Monviso Cinema - History

The Monviso Cinema was renovated in 2006/2007 with the aim of renovating and repurposing the interior spaces. To this end, the foyer was expanded and a single, large, all-tiered auditorium was created to replace the former stalls and gallery.

The Monviso Cinema-Theatre currently has a 336-seat auditorium (+2 seats for disabled guests), a 9 x 4-meter screen, a projection booth equipped with two film projectors (refurbished and connected to a state-of-the-art, high-power Dolby® System sound system), and a digital projector for any other type of image (TV, magnetic and digital media, video-optical, PC presentations, etc.), including electronic cinema. A new ticket office with two kiosks, two information screens, and a ticket vending machine has been installed in the entrance hall.

Historical notes

The Monviso Cinema is located in the center of Cuneo, on a block characterized by the presence of various buildings with different historical and architectural connotations. The original U-shaped layout, where the former land registry building, dating back to 1905, was located, was modified with the addition of the Monviso Cinema-Theatre (built in 1938) by the subsequent extension of the wing onto Via Bruni, along with the construction of a new wing onto Via Cavallotti in the postwar years, resulting in a building block coinciding with the current block. The construction of the current Monviso Cinema, with the adjoining Littoria Tower, characterized by its simple lines, the counterpoint between the horizontality of the main body (accentuated by the ribbon windows) and the marked verticality of the tower, provided an opportunity to recreate the building complex through a new monumentality (the entire building became the Casa del Fascio), better suited to the image of modernity that the regime intended to project in public buildings. To achieve this goal, the decorative elements were dramatically simplified, using rationalist stylistic elements and using a uniform color scheme across all the wings of the complex. The goal was effectively achieved, so much so that, despite the volume remaining essentially the same as the original, it is extremely difficult to reconstruct the original architecture. The cinema was renovated in 2006/2007. The new Monviso Cinema was inaugurated on Friday, December 21, 2007, with a screening of Pupi Avati's "Il nascondeglio" (The Hideout), with the director himself introducing the evening.

Description of the intervention

From the preliminary project, which envisioned the redevelopment of the entire building containing the Monviso Cinema-Theater, the Municipality of Cuneo has identified a first phase of work, currently underway. This includes renovating the main auditorium, expanding the atrium, renovating the restrooms and projection booth, installing a lift for disabled access to the various levels, and complying with Law 13/89 regarding accessibility. The project's goals were to upgrade the cinema with a modern, high-tech auditorium featuring high-quality finishes, suitable not only for film screenings but also for hosting conferences and other events. The first phase of the renovation project involved the interior renovation and redevelopment of several spaces within the Monviso Cinema. 

The design solution implemented can be summarized as follows:

• the restoration of the atrium with the stairs leading to the cinema hall from the ground floor and its extension towards the area, the creation of a disabled toilet with anteroom, and the construction of the new ticket office area;
• the installation of a lift in the atrium's cashier area, connecting all levels of the building (from the basement to the projection booth level), to ensure full accessibility for the disabled; - the creation of a connection between the cinema atrium and the newspaper library in the former Cuneo Land Registry Documentation Centre building, adjacent to the courtyard, for the possible shared use of the room for cultural events;
• the construction of a high-quality, stepped auditorium with 336 seats + 2 spaces for disabled people, located with two symmetrical lateral entrances from the atrium (the two former gallery entrances), one of which corresponds to the elevator landing (all within the same volume as the original cinema hall, divided into two levels: stalls and gallery – maintaining the same original capacity of 340 seats);
• the construction of a toilet block and a private area reserved for cinema staff (formerly access to the stalls) in the area below the stepped hall;
• the functional recovery of the lower part of the tower with the insertion of a metal staircase up to the level of the projection booth and the upper flat roof of the building;
• the existing water and heating systems were completely dismantled;
• The cinema hall has been equipped with an air conditioning system; the new system was designed to ensure comfort year-round
• new electrical systems have been set up and the energy supply has been increased;
• all the lighting was designed with modern normal and emergency lighting criteria;
• All rooms have automatic smoke detection systems, manual push-button alarm systems, and a public address system with pre-recorded emergency alerts. All emergency detection signaling systems are self-powered to function even in the absence of mains electricity

Regarding the cinema facilities, the screen has been replaced with a new, larger one (9 x 4 meters). The two film projection machines, purchased during the previous renovation in the early 1980s, have been refurbished and connected to a new, state-of-the-art, high-power Dolby® System sound system. The completely rebuilt projection booth is also equipped with a digital projector for the projection of any other type of image (TV, magnetic and digital media, video-optical, PC presentations, etc.), including electronic cinema. The entrance hall has been equipped with a new, optimally positioned ticket office with two kiosks, two information screens, and provision for a ticket vending machine, installed in 2009, to eliminate queues and reduce waiting times.

The project was made possible thanks to €1,450,000 in funding from the Piedmont Region, the CRC Foundation, and the Municipality of Cuneo.