![]() They discussed technical aspects of filmmaking in relation to their most recent film New Work: Newark in 3D (2012), a project commissioned by the Newark Museum that makes visitors feel as though they are inside the three-dimensional projection of the city. The Bongiornos spoke about their personal and professional ties to the city of Newark, where they currently live. Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno and Jerome Bongiorno have worked together both on films ( Little Kings, 2003) and documentaries ( Mother Tongue, 1999), with the latter being nominated for an Emmy in 2000. This honest approach renders her characters more genuine and relatable. ![]() She commented that her method is simply to remain faithful to the storyline and to the characters themselves. Savoca explained that her films do not follow the conventional themes of mainstream movies however, this is not necessarily a conscious choice. Nancy Savoca is one of the most important women in independent filmmaking today, having directed films such as True Love (1989), that Entertainment Weekly called “one of the best 50 independent films of all time,” Household Saints (1991) and the recent Union Square (2012). ![]() Thanks to the presence of their husbands Rich Guay and Jerome Bongiorno, whom they work with regularly on their films, the evening also approached the interesting angle of what it means to be partners both in life and on the set. These issues, amongst others, were discussed on November 8 at Montclair State University in the course of an event organized by the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, in which two strong female presences in independent film, Nancy Savoca and Marylou Tibaldo-Bongiorno, shared anecdotes and personal experiences of growing up in Italian American families in New York and New Jersey. Independent film can establish a counterbalance to the images of Italian American culture proposed by mainstream Hollywood-financed films regarding family, the domestic space, and the role of women in professional contexts. One possible solution to end the perpetuation of this cycle and to eliminate these ideas is to focus more attention on alternative sources that offer new perspectives on the same concepts. The role of Italian Americans in the mainstream media is often a confirmation of negative stereotypes that recycle the same unflattering images time and time again. Posted in: School of Communication and Media News DecemMontclair State Hosts Leading Italian American Independent Filmmakers
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