Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Casa Italia has launched Sabato Culturale, a series of Saturday morning presentations on Italian and Italian-American history, culture and thought. The series is the brainchild of Dominic Candeloro, curator of the library in the Italian Cultural Center at the Casa. The sessions in April and May are as follows:
April 11 — Casa Italia board member Frank Di Piero will present “Saving Our Stories: From Cenetta to Podcasts to Children’s Books.” The host of the podcast “Italian American Life with Frankie D,” Di Piero has written five children’s books promoting Italian culture.
April 18 — “Remembering Padre Feccia” will celebrate the life and contributions of Fr. August Celeste Feccia, C.S., a founding member and past director of the Italian Cultural Center. The presentation will include photos, videos and the reminiscences of his many friends.
April 25 — Journalist and author Judith Valente will present “La Dolce Vita: What Italy Can Teach Us About Living More Mindfully and Joyfully.” Valente has written for the Wall Street Journal and has served as a correspondent for public radio and television. She is the author of six nonfiction books and three collections of poetry.
May 2 — Retired anthropology professor Martin Giesso will talk about Italian immigration to his homeland, Argentina, in a lecture that will include a slide presentation about the Grand Hotel, which was a first stop for thousands of those immgrants. The presentation will be followed at noon by a screening of the 1963 Italian classic film, “Il Gattopardo” (“The Leopard”).
May 9 — Award-winning author Tea Marrocco of Elgin College will lead a writers retreat designed to help prospective authors create vignettes, profiles, descriptions, moods and other narrative building blocks. The workshop will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. A $10 fee will cover a light lunch.
May 16 — The award-winning 1979 Italian drama “Christ Stopped in Eboli” will be screened. Directed by Francesco Rosi and adapted from the book of the same name by Carlo Levi, the film stars Gian Maria Volonté as Levi, a political dissident under fascism who was exiled to the Basilicata region in Southern Italy.
May 23 — The Italian Cultural Center will host its 22nd annual I-A Literati from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature presentations and book signings by authors Lou Bruno, Carla Simonini, Peter L. Belmonte, Ryan Byrnes, Richard Leto, Leah Eskin, Mike Rosanova and Frank Di Piero.
Held in the Florentine Room of the cultural center, Sabato Culturale sessions begin with a continental breakfast at 10 a.m., followed by the presentation. A freewill donation of $5 is suggested and reservations are required. Email casalibrary@gmail.com to make your reservations.
