Introduction

In recent years, the study of theatre and cinema audiences in Italy has enjoyed significant growth, driven by the development of a new historiographical model. Considering cinema as a complex experience that extends beyond the film itself, this model focuses on the film–audience relationship in different viewing situations and differing social and historical contexts. The expansion in this area of study has been facilitated by increased access to sources through the digitisation of archives and by the availability of advanced analytical tools. These tools enable researchers to process large volumes of data and identify correlations and patterns that would otherwise be hard to discern. The essay introduces a special issue part of this wave of studies and, in line with it, analyses the history of cinemas in Italy, starting from the moment when a film meets its audience, examining how this encounter is framed and plays out, and shedding light on the many factors that make it unique and different each time.