Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams

Growing up poor in Bonito, Italy, Salvatore Ferragamo began his career as a shoemaker when he was barely a teenager. Immigrating to America in 1915 at the age of 16, his work would soon help invent the glamour of Hollywood’s silent era as he created shoes for iconic films including The Thief of Bagdad and The Ten Commandments.

Overcoming a Depression-era setback, Ferragamo rebounded and would define mid-century elegance for performers including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Rita Hayworth — all while embarking on a love story and warm family life with his wife, Wanda, and their six children.

In Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams, acclaimed filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name) tracks Ferragamo’s life from humble beginnings to California and to a studio in Florence, Italy.

Combining a treasure trove of 100-year-old archival footage; an extraordinary stop-motion “shoe ballet”; and incisive commentary, this documentary is a portrait of a man whose vision, passion, and craftsmanship made him “shoemaker to the stars” and an enduring cultural, fashion, and artistic influence.