DelanoCelli Productions

Present

A SHORT FILM by BOB CELLI

18:48 minutes, USA, 2015

Camera: Shot on the Cannon 7D and C100

Shooting Format: 1920 x 1080p - 23.98fps - AVCHD 35mbs

Exibition Formats: DVD, DCP, MPG (MPEG or MPEG2), HDCAM, DigiBeta

DelanoCelli Productions

New York

Laura Delano & Bob Celli

T: 212-289-7287

C: 917-334-6296 (Bob Celli)

917-549-1011 (Laura Delano)

delano.celli@gmail.com

Claudio Brovedani Nuti as Italo

logline

A world at war. A brother and sister. A day that changes their family forever.

synopsis

FIGS FOR ITALO begins and ends in present day New Jersey at the home of Dora, a widowed grandmother, where her family has gathered for one of her delicious meals.

However, the heart of the film takes place in the past as Dora journeys back in her mind to revisit a day that forever changed her and her family.

It is autumn, 1943, in Dora’s small hometown in the hills of Italy and WWII is raging all over Europe. She is a young girl and eager to help her older brother, Italo, get ready for his journey to the bigger town nearby for an important school exam. The past is present, the present is past; Dora is for a brief moment in both worlds at the same time.

This original screenplay is based on a true story and inspired by events lived by Bob’s mother Dora Celli.

Francesca Procaccini as Young Dora & Mara Baldissoni-Aceves as Gabriella

about the producers

DelanoCelli Productions was formed by Bob Celli & Laura Delano.

Film work includes GOING HOME, a short film written and directed by Bob Celli and produced by DelanoCelli/Juove Productions. GOING HOME was honored at the following festivals:

                                            

         It also received these accolades:

                                “Austere and haunting, Bob Celli’s Going Home is a gem of a film."

                                                                                                   Peter Hedges - (Academy Award Nominee)
                                                                                                                                              Dan in Real Life
                                                                                                                                              What's Eating Gilbert Grape
                                                                                                                                              Pieces of April

             “I enjoyed and admired Going Home…the remarkable record that Going Home has already achieved, renders                   redundant any words I might add. Festivals, gold awards, etc., are eloquent testimonies to your talent.”         

                                                                                                   Peter Benchley – Jaws



Most recently DelanoCelli Productions workshopped and produced the world premier of DOWN RANGE, a play by Jeffery Skinner. The production was sponsored by Beth Davis In Good Company and all profits from the production were donated to Soldiers Heart, a veterans' return and healing project addressing the emotional and spiritual needs of the veterans, their families and communities.

Delano & Celli were associate producers of the Off-Broadway show CIRCLE by Susanne Bachner. CIRCLE was the winner of the OOBR and SPOTLIGHT AWARDS.

Together they have worked extensively in New York as producers and also as actors. Laura Delano appeared in FAME, SLOW DANCING IN THE BIG CITY, THE WARRIORS, THE CHOSEN, and STARDUST MEMORIES. Bob Celli appeared in AS THE WORLD TURNS, THE ONION NEWS NETWORK, GOING HOME, COPKILLER, CIRCLE and    DOWN RANGE.

Elinore Carrabba as Dora & Santino D'Amico as Marco

about the cast

    Claudio Brovedani Nuti as Italo
 Claudio is a graduate of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Since then he has been working  
 professionally as an actor and writer for both theatre and film in United States as well as Europe.
 His film work includes: Opening Night (a Short Film), Snow,  Forgotten Kingdom, and Forgotten Kingdom: The
 Divide. He can also be seen in The Case of Josephine H., a documentary.

    Valerie Smaldone as Diane Morretti
Valerie is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on air position in the New York radio market. Valerie can be heard on a variety of commercials and television promos. Her voice has been featured on NBC, CBS, Lifetime, among many other channels, as well as on The Boomer Esiason Show, and on hundreds of spots including IBM, Verizon, and Apple.  Most recently she has been the “Voice of God” for many prestigious live events including: The Kennedy Center, The Clinton Global Initiative, The New York Emmy Awards, The Tony Preview Concert on CBS, Broadway on Broadway in Times Square, Broadway Under the Stars in Central Park, The GLAAD Media Awards, The Point Foundation, and many more.
   Valerie has appeared in the acclaimed Off-Broadway play, Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell at The Minetta Lane Theatre, and in the off Broadway hits, Naked in a Fishbowl, Broadway’s Next Hit Musical, and Girl Talk: The Musical. She has participated in several readings featuring celebrities Mario Cantone, Ralph Macchio, and Ally Sheedy. She was an onstage celebrity guest in the Broadway hit, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. www.valeriesmaldone.com

   Mara Baldissoni-Aceves as Gabriella
Mara is originally from Rome, Italy. She has lived and performed in several countries, including Spain and Mexico,  before coming to NYC. Mara's credits include theater, commercials, and hosting. A multilingual actress, she speaks five languages. Mara embraces with exuberant Mediterranean passion this new stage of her life in NYC performing arts.

   Francesca Procaccini as Young Dora
Francesca was born in Florence, Italy and spent parts of her childhood there. She is the great niece of Dora Celli and has spent many summers climbing trees and eating figs in Pettoranello di Molise. In her off-screen life, she is a graduate of Barnard College, where she earned degrees in Political Science and Italian Language & Literature, and is currently in her last year of study at Harvard Law School. Figs for Italo is her film debut.

   Elinore Carrabba as Dora
Elinore’s recent credits include work on TV’s Person of Interest, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Smash, as well as various docudramas and music videos. Her theater work includes The Vagina Monologues, Tribute, and Gypsy, as well as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music. Elinore was the founder of the successful Paper Moon Players in Brooklyn, New York, which remained a staple of the community for 26 years.

   Santino Charles D’Amico as Marco
Santino has been seen in various print ads, from parenting magazines to clothing. He has appeared on television in starring roles on Celebrity Ghost Stories and The Chica Show. He also appeared in the music video Imagination Day by Elite, featuring Sean McVerry. When not acting/modeling he enjoys karate, baseball, football, and dancing.  Figs for Italo was very exciting for him because it was his first featured role in a short film.

   Nino Spallacci as The Conductor                                                                                   
Nino’s film work includes Twelfth Night, As I Stand, and Cookies. He has been seen on various stages in the New Jersey/New York area, and also throughout the country.  He performed in the National tour of Driving Miss Daisy. Other productions include, When The Rain Stops Falling and Mauritius. Musical Theater credits include: Ragtime, Cabaret, Crazy for You, Misty’s Blood, and Noon Day Sun.  Other credits include: The Revenge of Hamlet, Vampyre Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Opera credits include chorus work in: Il Trovatore, Aida, and Tosca.

   Frank Ingrasciotta as Man on Train
Frank is the writer/performer of the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Blood Type: Ragu (presently touring) and was the 2012 United Solo Award Winner for Best Comedic Performance. The show was performed at the historic Actors Playhouse in NYC and regionally in NJ, CT, Staten Island, Atlanta, Atlantic City, and Albany where Frank was honored on the house floor of the NY State Capital.  His New York stage credits include: Valley of the Dolls, Three Postcards, Dinner at 8, The Girl in the Blue Armchair, and Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Lincoln Center.  TV credits include: recurring roles on The Guiding Light, One Life to Live, ABC After School Special, and The Equalizer. 

  Teresa Russo as Woman on Train
Teresa was raised by Italian immigrants and is deeply immersed in the culture to this day. Her unique upbringing has also given her the opportunity to work as dialect coach & creative consultant on the critically acclaimed off-Broadway play, Blood Type:Ragu. Figs for Italo is her film debut.
 

about the crew

  Ken Kotowski  - Director of Photography - is an Air Force veteran, who studied filmmaking in   college, and received his MFA in Media Production/Cinematography from CUNY’s City College of New York. He has since DP’d several features, countless short films, music videos and commercials. In addition to shooting, Ken is currently teaching filmmaking at his alma mater, William Paterson University of NJ, and working part time as a Lighting Director/Video Op at MSNBC.  His work can be seen at: http://www.exit150productions.com,  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1214971/  and  http://vimeo.com/user5911605

Cecilia Potenza - Editor - is a recent William Paterson University graduate.  She now freelances as a video editor and camera operator, always excited about the next great project. She thrives on set when collaborating with others and is passionate about all aspects of filmmaking. Whether it's a corporate promotional video, short or feature-length film, music video, or web-series, she enjoys the task of creating something engaging with others. Cecilia is honored to be part of the "Figs for Italo" family and is looking forward to seeing the impact the film will make.

  Paul Schwartz - Soundtrack/Score - is a composer and producer who crosses musical boundaries. He has sold over 750,000 of his own records world wide, and many millions more through his collaborations: notably with Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, and David Foster. He is the creator of two popular series of cds: the ARIA series, and the STATE OF GRACE series. STATE OF GRACE III, his most recent record, won 4 awards in the NAR Lifestyle awards including Album of the Year. The first ARIA cd was nominated for a Grammy.  http://www.paulschwartz.com

                                                   
  Ronald Johnson - Visual Effects - works at Sony Pictures and is also a freelance visual effects artist, cinematographer, and filmmaker, operating as the primary content generator at Light and Limb in Los Angeles, California. He most recently finished working on promotional material for The Muppets Most Wanted and Rio 2, and is very excited to be a part of Figs For Italo - a story of history, family, and imagination.

  Alfonso Procaccini  - Translations/Dialect Coach  - A native of Italy, Alfonso Procaccini earned his Ph.D. in Italian Literature in 1975 at The Johns Hopkins University, which included two years of study at the University of Florence, Italy.  Following six years of teaching at Yale University he joined the Smith faculty in 1981.  In addition to a variety of courses he has taught in the Italian Department and in the Medieval Studies Program at Smith, he has particularly cherished teaching his full year course in Italian on Dante’s Divina Commedia, and a course in the Comparative Literature Program, “Consuming Passions: Eating/Reading”, focusing on the complex symbolic use and meaning of food in the western literary tradition. He is currently working on a book concerned with the theme of wonder and the poet’s peculiar vision in works by various Italian authors from Dante to Galileo.



Valerie Smaldone as Diane Morretti

CREDITS

Written and Directed by Bob Celli
Produced by Laura Delano and Bob Celli
 Associate Producer - Daniel Delano

Cast In Order of Appearance

DORA (present day) - Elinore Carrabba
DIANE MORRETTI   - Valerie Smaldone
MARCO - Santino D' Amico
GABRIELLA - Mara Baldissoni-Aceves
YONG DORA - Francesca Procaccini
ITALO - Claudio Brovedani Nuti
WOMAN ON TRAIN - Teresa Russo
TRAIN CONDUCTOR - Nino Spallacci
YOUNG PEASANT WOMAN - Ariana Iacono
MAN ON TRAIN - Frank Ingrasciotta
GEORGE MILLER - John P. McGill

THE FAMILY
Sal Giordano
Felicia Scarangello
Carlo Iacono
Linda Bloom-Coley
Nicholas Palmieri 
Monica DeAntonio

                                                                          
 TRAIN PASSENGERS
Shelley Gail Weiss Lightman
Timothy Magidson
Janet Stanwood
Peggy DiPaolo Andres
Maria Miroulis
Nelson Miranda
Tricia Gimon
William Giaimo
John Porras
Kathi Troy
Randi Senderowitz

GERMAN SOLDIERS
Jason Utnick
Bob Brader
Adam Brick

TRAIN CREW
John J. Stocker
 Nick Zisa
Richard Butterworts
                       

Director of Photography - Ken Kotowski
Editing - Cecilia Potenza
Post Sound Mixing - Steve Carter at Solace Music Group
Special Effects - Ronald Johnson
                         Cecilia Potenza
Costume Design -  Anne Sherwood
                           Tony Gaetano
Original Score - Paul Schwartz
Translations & Dialect - Alfonso Procaccini Ph.D.
1st. Assistant Director - Gwenn Morreale
                           2nd. Assistant Director - Danny Spalluto                          

NY & NJ Crew
1st. Assistant Camera/Grip - Mike DeLorenzo
1st. Assistant Camera/Grip - Charlotte Azaceta
Sound - Robert O’Haire
Hair/Makeup - Jenevieve Louise
Props - Michael Reffie
         Bill Anthony
Casting Assistant - Eliza Simpson
Kraft Services - MMG Catering

California Crew
1st. Assistant Camera/Grip - Charlotte Azaceta
Key Grip - Reed Choinski
Sound - Peter Beer
Hair/Makeup - Jenna Keller
Props - Bill Anthony
               Edward Baney
Kraft Services - Della Rovere Catering
  

The Producers Wish to Acknowledge and Thank:

Beth Davis in Good Company
Grabein LLC
Belvidere & Delaware River Railway Company Inc.
Chris Cotty & Martin T. Den Bleyker
Annamarie Kostura & Sunstone Vineyards and Winery
Jim Horton & The Gallery of Graphic Arts
Kathe Davridge & Kathe Hair
Kate Piner & The Kelsey Theater
Wilfredo Carrero & Staff of Gracie Gardens
Solvang Holiday Inn Express
The Producers wish to thank the TDF Costume Collection for their assistance in this production.
NB Productions LLC for the use of its post-production facilities
                                                                                                                                
Special Thanks To:
Suzanne Bachner & Bob Brader, Bob and Barbara  Bachner, Nicolino Di Benedetto, C.A.T.S., Dora Celli,
Linda Chester, Peter Scott Delano, Stephen Facey, Carlos Fernandez, Jim Frasca, Robert Garrison, Nancy Graham, Marco Iacono, Annie and Brad Kuster, Judy & Michael Leopold, Sarah McGill & Jim Silberstein, John P. McGill,
Katherine Moore, Alison Morgan & Parke Skelton, Robin & John Nicholls, Frank Peters & Marjory Musgrave,
Marla Petrini, Jayne & Bill Poss, Piero Procaccini, Ermelina Procaccini, Ariane & Alfonso Procaccini,
Brian D. Villano


behind the scenes look

            

See the Official Figs For Italo Trailer Here

 DelanoCelli productions copyright 2015