Paolo Zelati – Film Writer and Essayist

Paolo Zelati (born 1975) is a film historian, critic, and researcher, widely regarded as one of Italy’s leading authorities on fantastic, horror, and genre cinema. A graduate of the University of Bologna, he has dedicated his career to preserving cinematic memory. He also runs the portal paolozelati.it.

Throughout his career, he has founded and edited influential magazines such as Horror Mania and Horror Time. His acclaimed book American Nightmares, published in both Italy and the US, charts the rise of American New Horror through interviews with masters like George A. Romero, John Carpenter, and Tobe Hooper.
Zelati formed a close professional bond with Romero, later co-writing the screenplay for Twilight of the Dead, a project developed alongside the director’s family.

The Film Poster

Alongside his critical work, Zelati has pursued a lifelong passion for the film poster. Beginning at the age of nine, his research has led to one of the world's most significant private collections of genre cinema posters, spanning over eight thousand pieces, including rare American noirs and original artwork. Through exhibitions, publications, and his podcast Fogli, Zelati champions the film poster as an independent art form and a vital piece of 20th-century popular culture.

Paolo Zelati and Movie.it

Paolo Zelati writes articles and in-depth features for Movie.it exploring film history and visual culture. His experience as a film historian, critic and collector brings specialist insight to the project, covering Italian and international genre cinema and its leading figures, as well as film posters and the great artists who shaped its visual identity.

His writing reflects Movie.it's cultural mission: not only to recover and restore the work of Italy's great film poster artists, but also to tell their stories and restore their rightful place in the artistic and cinematic heritage of the twentieth century.