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Documented Italians This screening takes place at
the Thursday, September 4, 2008 Buddy: The Rise and Fall of (2007), 86 min. Cherry 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 Post-screening
discussion with the director led by Douglas Muzzio, Baruch College.
The following screenings take
place at the 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, Post-screening
discussion with producer 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 Post-screening
discussion with the director led by 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 Post-screening
discussion with the director led by visual artist |