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On March 27, the Italian Resource Center and the Department of World Languages, Literature, and Cultures came together to showcase two films: a short, “Ibrido,” produced by professor of Italian Dr. Simone Puleo, followed by a documentary, “The Big Ciuriddia,” by director Peppe Tata.
In their own ways, the films encompass the feeling of being an immigrant and, in particular, the experience of Italian Americans. Ibrido, meaning “hybrid” in English, is an experimental short film that brings to light the ways in which immigrants seek to form and shape their identity when they are move from one country to another, between one culture and another. “The Big Ciuriddia” captures the story of the director discovering a piece of his hometown’s history. Of all places, he begins this journey in central Connecticut at a local club created by immigrants from Floridia, Sicily. The film showcases how one soccer team represented a piece of pride for residents, whether they remained in the city of origin or left home to seek a better life in the States.
Both films were received well by those in attendance. The audience was comprised of students of the Italian department as well as members of the Central women’s soccer team. One player said she’d felt a similar bond with her teammates. Other attendees included many Italian American residents of central Connecticut who heard of the event through the Italian Resource Center.
During the Q&A after the showing, discussions about the immigrant experience began. Many audience members were from Floridia, and they were able to share how the messages of both films mirrored their own. The directors also gave some insight into their creative processes, explaining their motivations for touching on themes of nostalgia, hybridity, and identity in their work.
“Ibrido” and “The Big Ciuriddia” represented different aspects of the Italian American immigrant experience well, whether through a broader cultural question of identity or the international love for a hometown soccer team.
- Isabella Gugliotti
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(From left) Professor of Italian Dr. Simone Puleo; film director Peppe Tata; and Dr. Gil Gigliotti.