At precisely 5:00, Saturday evening a select gathering of Italian singers and band members rehearsed, while sumptuous Italian appetizers were set out early in anticipation of the San Diego Italian Film Festival members and their guests, who began pouring into Balboa’s Museum of Photographic Art, on bringing feStivale 2014, to an exciting finale. The private showing of Una piccola impresa meridionale (A Small Southern Enterprise) was shown following the dinner.
“This is one of the best Italian parties in town, and the most important cultural event in the city,” said Antonio Iannotta, Artistic Director of the SDIFF. “This is our way of getting to know and welcome our sponsors and guests.” Members of the Italian Cultural Center, Balboa Park’s House of Italy, the Italian entertainment troupe, and a host of guests and members attended this auspicious event.
“We are expecting between 130 and 180 people this evening,” said Elena Incardona, Assistant Executive of SDIFF. “Becoming a member and supporting the association,” said Incardona, was proof that “they give to us so that we can give back to them.” the Gala was well worth the admission fee which included the dinner, wine and coffee bar, not to mention the outstanding talent who sang Italian songs and entertained the attendees throughout the evening, she added.
Supporting the Trio of Italian singers were musicians James Bianchi and Dan Achipinti. The talented singing trio were Giovanna Gattuso, who recently released her smash hit video, The King is Naked; Michela Dalla Pozza and Rosario Monetti. Malafemmena was Monetti’s lead song, to which he later added the ever popular Italian, O Solo Mio.
Forming a Duet with Dalla Pozza they romanced the audience with Quando quando and an Andrea Bocelli favorite, Time to Say Goodbye. Gattuso and Monetti teamed up and sang ardent and emotional all time Italian favorites, Arrivederci Roma and Anema e Core, pleasing the dinner guests enormously. The trio’s final offering brought the house down with Funiculì Funicula. The singers provided the melody, but the audience insisted on providing an overwhelming and joyous chorus.
While the music played and the singers sang, the dinner guest were treated to a sumptuous repast, supplied by Salvatore Ercolano of Villa Capri Restaurant Group. Aside from the Bruschetta and Antipasti, Ercolano’s kitchen provided main courses of Cheese Ravioli and Tortellini and an offering of both Chicken and Salmon dishes. No Italian meal is ever served without the ever present Cannoli and other assorted delectable desserts, coupled with generous amounts of Cappuccino and Espresso, provided by Caffe Arcidiacono. Wine flowed freely while music and song filled the air.
Before sending the revelers off to enjoy the private, premier showing of SDIFF’s final movie, Victor Laruccia, Executive Director thanked the gathered guests.
“We especially want to thank MOPA, our families, organizations, corporations, universities, art organizations, musicians and chefs, all who join in for the love of the culture,” he announced. He gave special recognition to San Diego’s Commission for Art and Culture, Roberto Ruocco, Italian Vice Consul, San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts and Supervisor Ron Roberts.
The SDIFF’s last movie, Una piccola impresa meridionale, was an uproarious comedy about misunderstandings, plot twists and the forming of an unlikely harmony forged between a small group of people who have the least amount of interest in each other, not to mention, the propensity to get along well.
What starts out as an abandoned lighthouse is soon transformed into a beautiful hotel, but not before it becomes a gathering place for a priest, a former call girl, a lesbian, two eccentric workers accompanied by a little girl and a divorced husband.
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