L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano T hough ancient, the aerie of Ferrazzano has s urvived uns poiled into the 21s t century. The medieval village of Samnite ori- gin als o gave birth to actor Robert De Niro's great grand- parents, Giovanni Di Niro and Angelina Mercurio, who left in s earch of their U S dream in 1887. "Old villagers say Robert De Niro travelled incognito to Fer- razzano when he was very young and not yet famous," says Anto- nio Cerio, mayor of Ferrazzano in the southern Molise region. But that might be an urban legend. The only certainty is that De Niro is enrolled in the AIRE (Registry of Italians Resident Abroad), which means that the Oscar winner has the right of absentee voting in Italian elec- tions, referendums and for elec- tion of Italian representatives to the European Parliament. Only two miles from Cam- pobasso, Ferrazzano is a tangle of winding cobbled streets and fieldstone row houses with clay tile roofs. Sited on an emerald green hilltop immersed in a pine forest, it is known as la Sentinel- la del Molise – the sentinel of Molise. "In the old times, it was com- monly called lo Spione (the Spy) because at 872 m above sea level it overlooks the whole region. It s eems to be monitoring the entire Molise region," Cerio explains. All around are breathtaking views that stretch as far as the Majella Mou n ta in s and embrace the Matese massif and the Main ard e mou n tain chain. A stark Norman castle, the Carafa Castle, dominates the village. The family of the great comic actor Totò owned it in the 17th century. The castle's vaults are covered with graffiti, love notes and all kinds of messages left behind by the Ferrazzanesi before leaving home in search of a future. "Among the multitude of names, there is also that of Gerardo, who ended up as De Niro's tailor," says Cerio. Right below Carafa Castle are the town's small piazza and the Moth er C h u rch of Th e Assumption . Nearby, in the heart of F errazzan o, the old home of De Niro's great- grand- father is still standing. "It is empty and ruined," Cerio says. "Now, the house belongs to a Ferrazzano family who owns several properties." Not surprisingly Ferrazzano's 3.400 residents are great fans of De Niro. Two of them tell me there are no direct De Niro fami- ly descendants in the village -- they left en masse to escape poverty at the end of the 19th century. De Niro's family name w as originally D i N iro , but w hen his great grandfather arrived at Ellis Island, immigra- tion recorded his name as "De Niro." Only one Di Niro from Fer- razzano is buried at the local cemetery. Named Donato Di Niro, "among the Di Niro broth- ers he was the only one who did- n't migrate", says Cerio. He claims the legendary actor still has a third cousin in Ferrazzano and promises me to give me the contact details, but then he does not follow through, leaving the subject open to doubt, wonder and curiosity. Ferrazzanesi are everywhere in the US.  "The third generation usually returns," Cerio says. "They become interested in dis- covering their ancestral village." As one of the most destitute regions of Italy, the Ferrazzane- si's departure from Molise was forced by poverty and despera- tion. Each Ferrazzanese who reached America lived in diffi- cult conditions at the beginning. But most managed to survive, and their des cendants have become a vibrant part of Ameri- can culture. "De Niro's bisnonno, Gio- van n i D i N iro, w as a poor farmer as w ell," s ays Cerio. "And see what a great success the family achieved!" After two generations, De Niro's father, Robert Henry De Niro, better known as Robert De Niro Sr., became one of A merica's mos t prominent figurative expressionist painters. Palazzo Chiarulli could host an enriching retrospective art show on De Niro's father. "I would be thrilled," he says. "If I win the upcoming local elections again, I will put my work into organizing the show. He is an illustrious son of Ferrazzano," he says. At this point, the mayor says he hopes the superstar actor can come for a visit. "I renew my invitation," he says. "It would be fantastic if he could come to vote for my political party on May 26, the polling day," he jokes. Cerio is planning to organize an inter- national s hort film fes tival named after Robert De Niro open to filmmakers from around the world.  "Filming or shooting in Ferrazzano is a sine qua non of entering the competition," he says. Ferrazzano is not a poor place anymore. It has a thick stratum of professionals: a wealthy popu- lation of lawyers, doctors, archi- tects and office workers, most of whom commute to work in the nearby town of Campobasso. "I always say Ferrazzano is the noble part of Campobasso due to our lovely stone houses that offer history and a special appeal," Cerio laughs. Some of those homes are available to be restored to their former glory and modern-day living. "American professionals can come here and work remotely," Cerio says. "Ferrazzano is an idyll of peace, the air aromatic and fresh. It offers tranquility and healthy food." Th e h eart of Ferazzan o cooking remains in its rustic, homespun nature. It's la cucina povera, peasant food with rich, exquisite flavors starting from the fuller flavor of mozzarella and caciocavallo. Ferrazzano: Giovanni Di Niro and the toiling Molisans who made America great MARIELLA RADAELLI View from Ferrazzano Photo credit MATTEO BERTETTO A detail of a home in Ferrazzano. Photo Credit GIOVANNI PASQUALE PHOTOGRAPHER ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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