Although I've been keeping it all on the down-low here at OnMilwaukee.com for a while, you likely already know I'm a passionate promoter of Italy's Piemonte region, an area where my roots go deep. I'm especially happy when I can combine that with promoting Milwaukee to folks in Italy.

So, for my latest trick, I'm working with others in Italy and Milwaukee to bring  Piemonte Cinema, a review of films from Piemonte, in northwestern Italy, to Discovery World on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 11 and 12.

The event is entirely free and open to all and kicks off with a free reception with a tasting of Piemontese wine and complimentary hors d'oeuvres from Bartolotta's.

On the other side of the pond, the two-evening event is co-organized by La Citta' del Cinema in conjunction with the regional government of Piemonte.

We will show three feature films shot in the Piemontese capital of Torino and in the Monferrato area to the east in Discovery World's top-notch, comfy theater. In addition, we'll show a short documentary that highlights the National Museum of Cinema, located in Torino, and the Piemonte region.

Although one film ("Dopo Mezzanotte") screened in Milwaukee on a single occasion, another makes its Milwaukee premiere and the third, "Zoè," makes it's U.S. premiere at Piemonte Cinema.

The films will be introduced by La Citta' del Cinema's Domenico Gargale, who will travel here to share the cinematic treasures of his native region.

I hope you will come and check out these great movies, mostly unseen before in Milwaukee,  enjoy some wine and noshes, and help support this event, to show the visitors from Italy just what a rockin' city Milwaukee is.

Don't worry, I'll remind you again as Piemonte Cinema nears, but you can mark your calendar now.

Here is the schedule of the event, along with some brief descriptions of the parties and films involved.

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010
6:30 p.m. -- Opening reception, including a tasting of a Piemontese wine -- courtesy of Purple Feet Wines -- and hors d'oeuvres, generously provided by Bartolotta Restaurants.
7 p.m. -- Introduction to National Museum of Cinema-Torino First Movie Capital
7:30 p.m. -- Introduction and discussion of "Dopo Mezzanotte" -- Domenico Gargale
7:45 p.m. -- "Dopo Mezzanotte"

Friday, Nov. 12, 2010
6:30 p.m. -- Introduction and discussion of "Zoè'" -- Domenico Gargale
6:45 p.m. -- "Zoè"
8:30 p.m. -- Introduction and discussion of "Tutti Giu' Per Terra" - Domenico Gargale
8:45 p.m. -- "Tutti Giu' Per Terra"

La Citta' del Cinema
Born in 2001 in Torino, La Citta' del Cinema seeks to promote cinema in Italy's Piemonte region in all its forms: from festivals and reviews throughout the area, to associations, university and specialization courses, to the films and television programs that have been shot in the area, animating the city of Torino and the region of Piemonte, and putting them back on the map of interesting and dynamic locations in the world of cinema. At the same time, La Citta' del Cinema intends to tell the illustrious and sometimes surprising story of cinema in the region, from moments of international fame to the continued presence of top-flight auteurs, actors and film professionals to the "underground" vitality that has given and continues to give new energy to a Piemontese "scene" that is in continuous contact with the world of art and culture.

The National Museum of Cinema
The National Museum of Cinema is located inside the Mole Antonelliana, the historic building that is the symbol of Torino. Soaring about 550 feet, the Mole is certainly the highest museum in the world. A scenic lift goes up through the center of the building to the dome and pavilion offering not only a spectacular view of the objects and exhibits on display, but also a complete scenic panorama of the city and the surrounding Alps mountains. The museum collection includes 7,000 film titles, 9,000 objects, paintings and old prints, 140,000 photographic documents, 150,000 posters, and more than 200 magic lanterns, along with a collection of 4,500 slides. The museum library houses 20,000 volumes, 3,000 periodical titles, an audio library and print archives of great historical value.

Monferrini in America
Monferrini in America is a national group, centered in Milwaukee, that brings together Americans with roots in the Monferrato and unites us with Monferrini throughout the world to promote our terra madre. We also seek to share our passion for the culture and history of our native land with others. The Monferrato is a hilly area located in eastern Piemonte. It is internationally known for its white truffles and wine, and stunning landscapes, among other things.

Discovery World
Discovery World connects innovation, science, technology and the environment with exploration and learning through interactive exhibits and experiential learning programs. We are dedicated to helping people positively impact their communities by developing a better understanding of technology and the environment while fostering both innovation and creativity.

The films

Dopo Mezzanotte
("After Midnight")
(Davide Ferrario, 2004, 92 minutes)
Mark Deming wrote this about the film in All Movie Guide: Martino (Giorgio Pasotti) is an avid movie enthusiast whose greatest passion is the silent cinema. Martino's both works and lives in Italy's National Museum of Cinema, located in Torino's fabled Mole Antonelliana, where he keeps the place clean and indulges himself by caring for the aging equipment and souvenirs. Martino also has a crush on Amanda (Francesca Inaudi), an attractive woman who works as a cook at a nearby diner. One day, after Amanda gets in a screaming match with her abusive boss, she throws a pot of boiling oil at him, and finds herself wanted by the police. While the cops, her car-thief boyfriend (Fabio Troiano), and her best friend (Francesca Picozza) all look for Amanda, she hides out in the museum. So when Martino finds her, she asks him to help hide her. As Martino's idealized love for the cinema collides with the real-life desire he feels for Amanda, he introduces her to his secret world of silent movies and the special meaning they hold for him. Ironically, given the love and care its characters display for vintage celluloid, "After Midnight" was primarily shot on digital videotape.

Zoè
(Giuseppe Varlotta, 2008, 92 minutes)
"The film is the result of the union between the imagination of the authors and actual events that occured toward the end of the Second World War in the Monferrato. The litle girl's journey to find her father will remind viewers of "Alice in Wonderland"; it is a race to salvation, against the inequality of men, the sloth, the poverty, the solitude, the fear and other woes of a word that man today has still not erased from its dictionary: war." -- Director Giuseppe Varlotta, giuseppevarlotta.com

Tutti Giu' Per Terra
("We All Fall Down")
(Davide Ferrario, 1997, 98 minutes)
Says Sandra Brennan of All Movie Guide: Like many other Italian slackers, 22-year-old Walter would be an angry young man if it didn't take so much effort; he feels the same about his prolonged virginity. Instead of diving into life, he prefers to keep his distance and drift aimlessly along the edges while living at home in Torino with his volatile but hard-working father and his flighty mother. In some ways, he has given up before even trying. Based on a best-selling semi-autobiographical novel by Giuseppe Culicchia, this fast-paced, slightly cynical comedy chronicles the dubious adventures of Walter as he tries to cope with his own growing sense of alienation and hopelessness while dealing with mandatory induction into the military, corrupt government bureaucracy, and his various friends.