Antonio Sancassani, owner of Milan's historic Cinema Mexico, dies at 82

Antonio Sancassani, the owner of Cinema Mexico in Milan, has died at the age of 82. He took over the cinema at Via Savona 57 in 1980, saving it from closure by focusing on musicals, auteur films, and independent cinema. The venue became famous for its weekly screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which ran for over four decades and turned into a collective ritual with audience participation. Sancassani also supported emerging independent directors, notably Giorgio Diritti with his debut film Il vento fa il suo giro. In 2011, he received the Ambrogino d'Oro, Milan's highest civic honor, the first time it was awarded to a cinema. In recent years, he was actively involved in managing Cinema Palestrina in the Loreto district, contributing to its renovation including a new projection booth, screen, seats, and accessibility ramp. Tributes from colleagues and the community highlight his passionate energy and dedication to art-house cinema. Domenico Dinoia, president of the Federazione Italiana Cinema d’Essai, called him a central figure in Milan's cultural scene who transformed Cinema Mexico into a symbol of resistance and passion for independent film.