Little Italy Open Air Film Fest
1999 - 2017
HISTORY of the LITTLE ITALY FILM FEST: The late "Mr. John" Pente wholeheartedly supported the Film Fest for 11 years before he died at age 100 after living in The Neighborhood for his entire life. Mr. John had allowed a movie projector to be set up in his third floor bedroom window to project films onto a big screen across Stiles Street. After he died, Mr. John's nephew, the late Ray Lancelotta, purchased the house and allowed the Film Fest to continue. When Ray died in 2014, his children allowed it as well. Today, the house belongs to a new owner who had graciously agreed to continue the Film Fest tradition. Between 1999 and 2017, the event was organized by the Original Little Italy Restaurant Association.
The Little Italy Open Air Film Fest stopped after the 2017 season. Every effort was made to continue this summer tradition after Film Fest organizers announced they were discontinuing management of the 8-week event for 2018, after having organized it for 19 years. Although between 1999 - 2017, the movies were held on the private parking lot of Da Mimmo Restaurant, owner Mary Ann Cricchio (the primary organizer), explained she would be unable to oversee its physical presence any longer. Her property has since been sold. “I would like to thank each of the many volunteers and supporters I have had the pleasure to work alongside these past 19 years,” said Cricchio, “for making the Film Festival possible."
A mural painted at the corner of Pratt & High Streets, sponsored by Peroni Beer, is a tribute to the neighborhood's Film Fest, the work of artist Marshall Adams. It includes an inset honoring the late "Mr. John" Pente and his dog, Gina, the resident who wholeheartedly supported the showing of Film Fest movies from the third floor bedroom window of his home.
A mural painted at the corner of Pratt & High Streets, sponsored by Peroni Beer, is a tribute to the neighborhood's Film Fest, the work of artist Marshall Adams. It includes an inset honoring the late "Mr. John" Pente and his dog, Gina, the resident who wholeheartedly supported the showing of Film Fest movies from the third floor bedroom window of his home.
|
“They came over and asked if I would put a projector in my bedroom. I said, ‘If it’s good for the neighborhood, fine, go ahead.’
Anything you can do for the neighborhood, you do.” ~ John Pente (1910 – 2010) a Little Italy resident for 100 years |
|