“Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams”

In the early 20th century, an impoverished teenage Italian cobbler sailed from Naples to America to seek a better life. He settled in Southern California, and became Hollywood’s go-to shoemaker during the silent era. In 1927, he returned to Italy and founded his namesake luxury brand, which has become one of the world’s most famous.

As the director of the best-dressed films in contemporary Italian cinema, it’s not surprising that Luca Guadagnino was the man approved by the Salvatore Ferragamo luxury goods brand to make a devoted documentary ode to its long-deceased founder. The documentary “Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams” details the celebrated shoe designer’s journey from humble village origins to early Hollywood success to fashion-world royalty.

Guadagnino spent two years piecing the story together from a script by fashion and culture journalist Dana Thomas. Talking heads include Martin Scorsese, Ferragamo’s family members, costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis, and famous designers Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin. Written by Dana Thomas and narrated by Michael Stuhlbarg, it premiered at the Venice Film Festival.