Combining LED technology from Expromo with immersive sound from Procella Audio, the commercial IMMERSIO concept brings a 21st-century cinema experience to one of Rome’s most historic entertainment venues.
Slightly outside EI’s normal patch of home cinema, we could not resist covering this historic and attention grabbing cinema and its most recent make over.
Located in Piazza Barberini, between the elegant Via Veneto and Bernini’s famous Triton Fountain, Multisala Barberini occupies a special place in Rome’s cultural history. A landmark of the city’s cinematic heritage, the cinema has continually evolved to meet changing audience expectations while retaining its distinctive identity.
Today, the venue combines its architectural heritage with contemporary interior design, advanced cinema technology and a broader hospitality offering. At the heart of its latest technological transformation is a collaboration between high-performance screen expert Expromo and Procella Audio, bringing together DCI-approved LED cinema technology by HeyLED and the commercial version of Procella’s IMMERSIO immersive audio concept.
A Family Legacy
Multisala Barberini is very much a family affair. Owned by the Saviotti family since the 1950s, the cinema is now managed by three siblings, each responsible for a different aspect of its operation.
Caterina oversees programming, festivals and general operations, while Francesca Saviotti manages private events and the B24 restaurant. Completing the team is Alessandro, the cinema’s Technical Manager, who oversees the technology that supports the Barberini experience.
For the family, preserving the cinema’s heritage while continually embracing new technology is a responsibility that has been passed down through generations.
Alessandro explains some of the history, “The cinema was commissioned in 1930 by Angelo Giuseppe Rossellini and designed by architect Marcello Piacentini. In the late 1950s my grandfather bought the cinema and it’s been in our family ever since, generation after generation. It’s a legacy we feel as a responsibility towards Rome, its audience and the history of this theatre, which has hosted historic premieres like Il Gattopardo by Luchino Visconti, Once Upon a Time in America by Sergio Leone and The Last Emperor by Bernardo Bertolucci.”
As well as its history and style, the family is keen to underline the cinema has always been at the cutting edge of technology, with three distinct eras defining its development.
Alessandro reveals, “In the 1930s, it had the largest projection booth in Europe and a sound system that was revolutionary for its time.”
“In 1991, it was the first to transform its single screen into Rome’s first multiplex, changing the way people experienced cinema in the city.”
“And today, nearly a century after its inauguration, the Barberini is the first cinema in Italy to adopt DCI-certified LED Cinema technology, together with Procella sound, which we chose to work with because of their exceptional audio qualities, like their near to zero sound distortion, high audio clarity, their perfect dimensions, aesthetics and attention to detail, making them a perfect match for our auditorium. Being at the cutting edge is our family’s priority; we want anyone who comes to the Barberini to always have an experience that matches the times.”
More Than a Cinema
While technological innovation is an important part of the Barberini story, the family’s ambitions extend beyond the auditorium. The cinema has also developed a reputation for programming that appeals to a diverse and international audience.
“We were also the first cinema in Rome to have matinées and to screen films in their original language,” says Alessandro, “a choice that opened the Barberini up to a new, international audience, to enthusiasts looking for a different experience. We curate our programming with a broad audience in mind, from blockbusters to arthouse films. We also aim to be a broader cultural space, with targeted events, aperitivo screenings, brunch tied to special screenings, themed series, presentations. B24 lets people experience the cinema as a meeting place, both before and after the film.”
The B24 restaurant is an important part of this approach, extending the experience beyond the screening itself. Combined with the cinema’s programme of special events, premieres and cultural activities, it helps establish Multisala Barberini as a destination where film, food and social interaction come together.
This broader vision also provides the context for the cinema’s latest investment in audiovisual technology. For the Saviotti family, the objective is not simply to upgrade an auditorium, but to create new possibilities for the venue while maintaining the character that has defined it for generations.
A New Technological Chapter
The latest chapter in the Barberini story began at CineEurope, where the three Saviotti siblings met the team from Expromo and were introduced to its LED technology for commercial cinemas.
That meeting provided the starting point for a collaboration that would bring together Expromo’s exclusive European partnership with the HeyLED cinema brand and Procella Audio’s sound solutions, creating a new audiovisual experience within the historic venue.
The resulting installation features a 7m-wide, DCI-approved LED cinema screen in CinemaScope format, giving a resolution of 4788 x 2160 (4K+) using a Dolby IMS3000 server. With a pixel pitch of just 1.4mm and a front-serviceable design, the screen delivers the image quality required while accommodating the practical demands of the auditorium, as the screen can be placed as far back as possible in the space.
The project represents an important milestone, delivering the first DCI-approved LED screen to be installed in an Italian cinema auditorium.
IMMERSIO C102 Loudspeaker
In this cinema, three new IMMERSIO C102s partner the 7m LED screen across the left, centre and right channels. These three-way bi-amplified loudspeakers are built for direct-view LED displays, where nothing can sit behind the image, keeping every line of dialogue tied to the picture.
Driven by Procella DA08-DSP amplification and a Trinnov Ovation2 processor, they bring the clarity and near-zero distortion that made the Saviotti family choose Procella.
Respecting the Architecture
Introducing advanced audiovisual technology into a historic building presents challenges that rarely arise in a purpose-built modern cinema.
At Multisala Barberini, the existing architectural framework and limited ceiling height placed restrictions on the installation of conventional projection technology. Any new solution needed to deliver the required cinematic performance while making efficient use of the available space.
Expromo’s LED technology offered an alternative. By replacing conventional projection with a direct-view LED display, the installation removes the need for a separate projection room and the associated projection path.
This approach allows the auditorium to make more efficient use of its available space while introducing the brightness, contrast and image sharpness associated with LED cinema technology.
The screen’s front-serviceable construction also provides a practical advantage, allowing maintenance access without requiring substantial space behind the display.
Crucially, the technology has been introduced into a building whose architectural character remains central to its identity. The objective is to complement the venue’s heritage with contemporary cinema technology rather than compromise the qualities that make it distinctive.
The Sound of IMMERSIO
Alongside the LED installation, the project brings Procella Audio’s IMMERSIO concept into the commercial cinema environment. The collaboration between Expromo and Procella Audio was a vital element of the project, with the companies working to deliver a solution suited to the requirements of the auditorium.
For the Saviotti family, sound quality was a fundamental consideration. Alessandro identifies Procella’s audio clarity, low distortion, compact dimensions and attention to aesthetics as important factors in the decision to specify the company’s loudspeakers.
The system also includes the powerful Trinnov Ovation2 processor, delivering the full immersion the system is capable of. A mixture of new IMMERSIO Procella speakers and amplifiers partnering the screen were combined with existing Procella surround speakers to deliver the complete experience.
These characteristics are particularly relevant in a historic cinema, where the audio installation must deliver the required performance while accommodating the physical and aesthetic constraints of the auditorium.
A Venue Designed for New Experiences
The new audiovisual installation also supports the Saviotti family’s wider ambitions for Multisala Barberini.
Situated in one of Rome’s most recognisable locations, surrounded by restaurants, hotels, cultural attractions and nightlife, the cinema operates in an environment where audiences have an extensive choice of entertainment.
The investment in LED technology and immersive audio is intended to enhance traditional film screenings while also creating opportunities for other uses.
These include exclusive premieres, corporate events, product presentations, gaming experiences and private screenings. Together with the cinema’s established programme of cultural events and its B24 restaurant, the new technology supports the development of a venue offering much more than a conventional trip to the cinema.
The combination of historic architecture, contemporary interior design, hospitality and advanced audiovisual technology creates a distinctive proposition, bringing together different elements of the entertainment experience within one location.
Looking Towards the Future
For the Saviotti family, the transformation represents another stage in a process of continuous development that has characterised Multisala Barberini throughout its history.
Nearly a century after the cinema first opened, its owners remain committed to balancing technological innovation with the traditions and family values that have helped establish its place in Rome’s cultural landscape.
Alessandro concludes, “Today the Barberini is nearly a hundred years old, and we continue to see it as a work in progress, not in the sense of construction, but in the sense of a constant attention to improving the experience of those who choose us. We want to keep moving forward on this path of technological innovation, remaining a landmark in Rome for anyone seeking quality image and sound. But we also want to keep developing the Barberini as a meeting place, between screenings, events, and the B24 restaurant, always keeping that family spirit that has guided us through all these years.”
“The next chapter, for us, is exactly this, staying true to who we are while continuing to look ahead.”
Equipment List
Viewing
- Expromo/HeyLED 7m-wide, DCI-approved LED screen
Audio
- LCR: 3 × Procella C102
- Surrounds: 8 × Procella C10
- Back Surrounds: 4 × Procella C10
- LFE: 1 × Procella V21
- Surround Subwoofer: 1 × Procella P15
Amplifiers and Processing
- Processor: Trinnov Ovation2
- LCR: Procella DA08-DSP
- Surrounds: Procella DA03-DSP
- LFE: Procella DA08-DSP (bridged)
- Surround Sub: DA08-DSP
