For three years I've been slowly making my way toward the uncorking of the Piemonte Cinema film event that kicked off last night at Discovery World and concludes tonight. We're only halfway there, but I admit I'm a bit stunned already.
In 1997 I met Domenico Gargale at a conference hosted by the Regione Piemonte, that is the regional government of the Italian region (the equivalent of a state here) of Piemonte.
Gargale, who is involved with Italy's National Cinema Museum in Torino, where he also is active in the film commission and the La Citta' del Cinema initiative has traveled different versions of Piemonte Cinema around the world for five years now, taking it to Shanghai, Central and South America, South Africa and now Milwaukee. This is only the second time the event has taken place in the U.S. It was in San Francisco a few years ago.
We agreed to bring this event to Milwaukee, where I was already working with Paul Salsini and St. Louis' Barbara Klein on the annual Milwaukee Italian Film Festival at UWM. I was hopeful and ready to do the work, but I admit I was a little reticent.
If I've learned anything it's that sometimes it takes more than passion and hard work to make a successful event, though those things certainly go a long way. Sometimes you just need some critical mass and the proper alignment of the stars.
Last night, all of that came together and there were more than 175 people on hand to see "Dopo Mezzanotte" ("After Midnight"), a film that has already shown here --- albeit only on two one-screening occasions -- in Discovery World's great digital theater.
We got off to a late start as we brought in chairs and tried to accommodate everyone. Sadly, I think a few people left but even as the night wrapped up, there were less than a half-dozen empty seats and the stairs were lined with folks watching the film.
The turnout was unlike anything I ever expected. But I expected that a short event focusing on a single Italian region would draw more modestly than the longer, more inclusive Italian Film Festival which has a reputation that has grown with each passing year.
I'm hoping for another good turnout for tonight as "Tutti Giu' Per Terra" makes its Milwaukee debut. It's a film I've been eager to see after absolutely loving the novel by Giuseppe Culicchia.
Before that, "Zoe'" makes its U.S. debut -- at 6:30 p.m. -- and will be introduced by the director, Giuseppe Varlotta -- who arrived yesterday from Asti. Varlotta will also answer questions after the film.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome. Complete details are here.
But even if the numbers aren't quite like last night, I'm still riding high because our Italian visitors were wowed by Brew City and its support for this event.
Milwaukee you made me proud.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
