1.    Il cinema — It’s the art form generally, but also the physical place where you go to see films. Don’t get it confused with il teatro — which is where you go to see a play! Next time you invite your friends to an art film, see if they’re impressed when you refer to it as cinema d’essai (experimental or avante-garde).

2.    La cinepresa (also: la macchina da presa) — Movie camera.

3.    Il regista (also la regista) — Director. In the credits, you’ll usually see his or her name preceded by “Regia di.”

4.    Motore! — Action! (Also: Si gira!)

5.    Il lungometraggio — A full- or feature-length film. (Contrast with a cortometraggio or a documentario.)

6.    Il montaggio — Any appassionato of films knows that the real artistry occurs in the editing room, where the montaggio takes place.

7.    Direttore di doppiaggio — Dubbing Director. Almost all foreign films are doppiato when they arrive in Italy, whereas most foreign films that open in the U.S. are given sottotitoli instead.

8.    La sceneggiatura — Screenplay, script, or adapatation. The person who writes the sceneggiatura is the sceneggiatore; don’t confuse with il scenografo, who’s the Art Director or scenografia, Production Design.

9.    La ripresa — The shot or take; a ripresa al rallentore is what native English speakers would call SloMo.

10.    La colonna sonora — Soundtrack.

11.    Il primo piano — Close-up. Il primissimo piano is what Gloria Swanson was waiting for in Sunset Boulevard.

12.    La dissolvenza — The fade-out
 

And five Italian movie terms that need no translation: la Nomination (e.g., for il Premio Oscar!), il Flashback, il Remake, il Cast, and il Stunt-Man (but don't forget la controfigura — the stunt double!).