2008-2009

Documented Italians

This screening takes place at the CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, between 34^th and 36^th Streets, in the Martin E. Segal Theatre, Manhattan.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Buddy: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Notorious Mayor

(2007), 86 min.

Cherry Arnold, dir.

As the longest-serving mayor in recent history, Vincent “Buddy” Cianci of Providence, Rhode Island remains one of the country’s most controversial political figures. Cianci’s unflagging popularity and extraordinary career comebacks have baffled political analysts and frustrated federal investigators. Brilliant and aggressive, charming and ruthless, Cianci is described by supporters and critics alike as a political survivor. From Buddy’s early promise as an attorney prosecuting organized crime to his success overseeing Providence’s “renaissance,” the film Buddy tracks Cianci’s entanglements with city council opposition, union skirmishes, personal scandals, and criminal indictments. The result is a fascinating study of American local politics and a surprising tale of a man who been said to have “a city as his mistress.”

Post-screening discussion with the director led by Douglas Muzzio, Baruch College.

The following screenings take place at the CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, between 34^th and 36^th Streets, Room C198, Manhattan.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans and the Movies

(2007), 58 min.

Steven Fischler, dir.

Filled with clips from classic films and an all-star list of interviewees, Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans and the Movies takes a comprehensive look at the changing and diverse roles Italian-Americans have played on the silver screen. Selections from early films reveal the images that helped shape negative public opinion, while movies like Scarface, The Godfather, Goodfellas, and Do the Right Thing demonstrate how the violent “wiseguy” image developed and evolved into nuanced portraits seen today. The issue of stereotyping isn’t a facile one. Commercial formulas also serve as wellsprings for creative expression for Italian-American film artists and this documentary offers compelling insights into how Italian-Americans use their art to transcend the stereotypes. Featured in the film are Ben Gazzara, Spike Lee, Isabella Rossellini, Susan Sarandon, Martin Scorsese, Paul Sorvino, Marisa Tomei, John Turturro, and Jack Valenti, among others.

Post-screening discussion with producer Rosanne de Luca Braun led by Anthony Julian Tamburri, Calandra Institute.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Poetry in Action: A Portrait of Vincent Ferrini

(2000), 58 min.

Henry Ferrini, dir.

Poem in Action captures the world of poet Vincent Ferrini and his commitment to the unity of art and life in what he called “the living poem.” The film portrays the forces that shaped this artist’s life: his immigrant parents; factory work; the Great Depression; the Communist Party; and the town of Gloucester, Massachusetts where he lived until his passing in December 2007. The filmmaker and poet’s nephew Henry Ferrini captured the idiosyncrasies of the man and the ever-changing landscape of their town of Gloucester. Vincent’s passion, magnetic presence, and unyielding creativity make for an energizing portrait of an artist and his community, a poet who is also teacher, historian, spokesman, and social activist.

Post-screening discussion with the director led by Fred Gardaphé, Queens

College.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Se la pietra sapesse parlare/If Stone Could Speak

(2007), 67 min.

Randy Croce, dir.

Thousands of stonecutters emigrated from northern Italy to Barre, Vermont, the “Granite Capital of the World.” These scalpellini carved impressive sculptures that still grace public spaces, churches, and cemeteries across America. This documentary follows the artisans and their families from quarries, workshops, and schools in Italy to granite carving sheds in New England. It chronicles the magnificent monuments of these master carvers, as well as their life and death struggle with silicosis. The film portrays the immigrants’ distinctive community in America and their continued ties with their areas of origin, as stonecutter families continue to move between the two countries and seek their own identities, choosing what to keep and what to cut away from their American and Italian legacies.

Post-screening discussion with the director led by visual artist B. Amore.