L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano L ouis D'Esposito is one of the pri- mary producers of the Marvel Cine- matic Universe and the co-president of Marvel Studios. His family is original- l y f r o m T o r r e d e l G r e c o , Naples, and two of the fran- chise's greatest directors, Joe and Anthony Russo, are also of Italian heritage. A l o n g w i t h t h e i r s i s t e r , Angela Russo-Otstot, they have conceived and organized the Renaissance Award and the Russo Brothers Italian-American Film- maker Forum (RBIAFF), with support from the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) and the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian-American O r g a n i z a t i o n s ( C O P O - MIAO), led by their father, Judge Basil M. Russo. O n J a n u a r y 1 8 t h i n L o s Angeles, the Russo Brothers Italian-American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF) presented its first Renaissance Award to Marvel Studios Co-President Louis D'Esposito, who became the first Italian-American to receive this award designed for Italian-Americans who have distinguished themselves in the entertainment industry. "From his roots in the Bronx to his monumental achieve- ments with Marvel Studios, Louis D'Esposito's career is a symbol of foresight, dedica- tion, and unparalleled success. It is a journey that mirrors the ethos of the Italian-American dream: stemming from par- ents who were children of the Great Depression, to pursuing a career in the entertainment world," Joe Russo said on stage before handing over the award, a Murano glass art- work, to D'Esposito Louis D'Esposito made a significant impact in his over- three-decade-long career in the entertainment industry. Under his stewardship, Marvel Studios made 33 films that grossed nearly $30B world- w i d e , i n c l u d i n g 1 0 t h a t achieved the billion-dollar milestone. Movies such as A v e n g e r s : E n d g a m e a n d Avengers: Infinity War, both of which were directed by the Russo Brothers and co-writ- ten by AGBO Co-Presidents of Story Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, sur- passed the two-billion-dollar mark, solidifying Marvel's monumental impact on the cinematic landscape. " D u r i n g t h e f i l m i n g o f Captain America: The Win- ter Soldier, we shot in Cleve- l a n d f o r a w h i l e , t h e c i t y where the Russo Brothers were born and raised. It's here that I formed a close bond with them, got to know their parents, their wives, their children; they became my extended family," Louis D'Esposito said about his working experience on set w i t h t h e R u s s o b r o t h e r s , whom he first met in 2012 in Kevin Feige's office. "I didn't just meet them; I truly got to know them. We spent the rest of the year together. I heard the stories of their adoles- cence and absorbed the love and camaraderie they shared. T h e y r e m i n d e d m e o f m y childhood, my family, and my friends. And that's where it all began. It's here that we bonded through our common love for cinema and our cul- tural heritage." "Joe and I have shared some of life's most meaning- ful moments sitting at tables with grandparents, cousins, children, and friends, listen- ing to and exchanging the stories of their immigrant experiences. It's a profound and impactful experience to leave a place where your fam- ily has roots for generations, especially when poverty and lack of opportunities force y o u t o v e n t u r e f a r a w a y . Traveling halfway across the world to an unfamiliar land where you don't speak the language and have limited resources is a daunting jour- ney. But the only things you carry with you are the hope for a better life and the deter- mination to keep pushing for- ward until you achieve it. This journey embodies the hero's quest, the most epic form of storytelling," Antho- ny Russo passionately stated on stage. "When you hear these stories from the people you hold dear, they become ingrained in your soul, form- ing a fundamental part of your identity. This is why I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n s h a v e played such a significant role, not just in America but also in Hollywood. We compre- hend the power of storytelling and its profound impact on our lives and community. Tonight, we celebrated the profound connection between the Italian American experi- ence and the world of cine- ma." For the Russo Brothers, cinema also encompasses AGBO, an Oscar-winning i n d e p e n d e n t s t u d i o t h e y f o u n d e d i n 2 0 1 7 . A G B O focuses on the development and production of content spanning across film, TV, games, and publishing. Its mission is to innovate and advance the next generation of storytelling to entertain and inspire a global audience. Recent AGBO productions include the Oscar-winning B e s t P i c t u r e E v e r y t h i n g Everywhere All At Once, Net- flix's The Gray Man, Ama- zon's thriller series Citadel, a n d t h e N e t f l i x s e q u e l Extraction 2, featuring Chris Hemsworth. The new Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF) is a scholar- ship program that provides g r a n t s f o r p r o d u c t i o n t o emerging directors aiming to create screen stories that illu- minate aspects of the Italian American experience. The top five candidates will receive a grant to produce a short film based on their concept. The winning film will be selected b y a s e l e c t i o n c o m m i t t e e comprising AGBO executives and ISDA leadership. The winning director will receive an additional $10,000 and admission to the AGBO Sto- ryteller's Collective. "The new F i l m m a k e r F o r u m w i l l reshape the landscape of Ital- ian American storytelling on the big screen while honoring and supporting our culture, history, and heritage. The program has awarded over $400,000 in grants to 47 directors so far," said ISDA N a t i o n a l P r e s i d e n t B a s i l Russo, who co-developed the RBIAFF. In the audience at the cere- m o n y w e r e a l s o C o n s u l General Raffaella Valen- tini, ICE Los Angeles direc- tor Alessandra Rainaldi, and IIC Los Angeles director Emanuele Amendola. On stage, Consul Valentini said that "being an Italian cit- izen means embracing a her- itage, sharing emotions, it's a declaration of love for our country but also a pledge." She continued underlining how "the ties between Italy and the United States are countless but, more than any- t h i n g , t h e y a r e m a d e o f human relations and friend- ships, values that rely on and are nurtured every day by Italian-Americans like Mr. Louis D'Esposito." Always in the audience were Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista, of Guardians of the Galaxy; Joe Piscopo, Satur- day Night Live alumn and r a d i o s h o w h o s t ; a c t o r Michael Badalucco; singer L e n a P r i m a , d a u g h t e r o f Louis Prima; and Frankie Valli, the great rock crooner. Actor, writer, and director, Jon Favreau, who is Italian on his father's side, was also there to present the Renais- sance Award to Louis D'Es- posito. It was Favreau who d i r e c t e d I r o n M a n a n d recruited D'Esposito as the film's producer. At that time, D'Esposito had already pro- duced dozens of films such as Basic Instinct, The Pursuit of Happiness, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and S w e e t H o m e A l a b a m a . Thanks to the success of Iron Man D'Esposito continued to serve as an executive produc- er for subsequent Marvel films. He later became the co- president of Marvel Studios, sharing the role with Kevin Feige. Upon receiving this year's Renaissance Award, D'Espos- ito paid tribute to his Italian- American heritage, which he absorbed while growing up in the "real Little Italy of New York" along Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. "Since I was a boy, I've always been immersed in Italian culture, but I didn't visit Italy. I went there at the age of 40, quite late in life, but I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the country, the people, the food, the culture, the history. I felt like I was at home." Marvel Studios' D'Esposito honored by the Russo Brothers SILVIA NITTOLI Louis D'Esposito attends AGBO, Russo Brothers' Italian American Filmmaker Forum and, bottom left, D'Esposito with Consul General Raffaella Valentini (Photos by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for AGBO) LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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