L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014 Newport Beach Film Festival 2014 to showcase an exclusive screening of Italian cinema 16th Annual Scalabrini House Seminary Fundraiser Banquet Community in Pictures The 15th annual Newport Beach film festival will run April 24 through May 1, featur- ing over 300 films from around the world. Among them is an exclusive screening of Italian cinema with the Italian Spotlight event, including the OC pre- miere of the highly acclaimed film A Five Star Life (Viaggio Sola),followed by a festive post- screening gala celebrating Italian culture, fashion, and music. The movie, directed by Maria Sole Tognazzi, features Italian star Margherita Buy, winner of the David di Donatello Award for Best Actress in 2013. She plays the role of Irene, a woman who has a dream job: traveling through Europe to test the ser- vice at the leading hotels of the world's 5-star establishments. Yet in the lap of that luxury, she is alone. The film was also awarded the Nastro d'Argento as Best Comedy by the Italian film critics union. "The Festival continues a proud tradition of presenting the very best in Italian Cinema. A Five Star Life is a festival and critical favorite. We are very excited to screen a film that is both comedic and complex," stated Gregg Schwenk, CEO of the Newport Beach Film Festival. Celebrated as one of the lead- ing film festivals in the United States, the Newport Beach Film Festival has evolved into a pres- tigious multicultural event, L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014 www.italoamericano.com 4 attracting over 53,000 attendees to Southern California. Committed to enlightening the public with a first-class interna- tional film program, a forum for cultural understanding and enriching educational opportuni- ties, the Festival focuses on showcasing a fresh and diverse collection of studio and inde- pendent films from around the globe. Located along the pristine Orange County coastline, the Newport Beach Film Festival The Scalabrini House Seminary celebrated on April 26, 2014, at Casa Italiana its annual Fundraiser Banquet for the Scalabrinian Seminarians organized by local Scalabrinian priests in collaboration with the Scalabrini Fundraiser Committee. This year's 16th anniversary celebration consist- ed of a traditional banquet to raise funds to support the Formation and Vocation Program for first year Scalabrini seminary students who study at the Villa Scalabrini Seminary in Sun Valley, California. The Congregation of the Missionaries of Saint Charles Borromeo/Scalabrinians is a Catholic Religious congregation dedicated to serve migrants and refugees. The origin of the Scalabrinian Fathers lies in Italy in the years after 1870, when a unified Italian state came togeth- er out of city-states. The unifica- tion left a great deal of political unrest and economic dislocation, so that many Italians felt com- pelled to leave. A priest by the name of Giovanni Battista Scalabrini (John Baptist Scalabrini) decided the church should and could help resettle its migrating members. In 1876, he was appointed Bishop of Piacenza, and he asked the Vatican to be allowed to form a Society of Italian Missionary Priests whose sole purpose was to help Italians leaving the country. The Pope approved the plan. John Baptist Scalabrini recruited for his new congrega- tion dedicated priests and nuns determined to live their lives in foreign lands administering to people. The Scalabrini Fathers have been opening seminaries around the globe with the goal of train- ing priests from other countries to administer to their people in immigrant-accepting nations like the United States. They help the poorest migrants no matter where they are from or where they are going. Furthermore, they are trained to see themselves as Fellow Migrants Living Like Migrants. Today members of the Scalabrini Order work in 33 countries throughout the world. In 1996, beloved Father Giovanni Bizzotto started the Scalabrini vocation ministries in Los Angeles. In 1998, the Scalabrini Seminary was estab- lished at the rectory of St. Peter's Italian Church, and a year later the First Scalabrini Seminary House Banquet Fundraiser was organized under the guidance of Lead Chairman offers attendees an optimal set- ting to experience filmmaking at its best. With its action packed slate of film screenings, red car- pet galas, international spot- lights, nightly receptions, com- pelling conversations with film- makers, fashion shows, music performances and industry semi- nars, the Newport Beach Film Festival has quickly gained recognition among filmmakers and audiences worldwide. The Spotlight film, A Five Star Life (2013, Comedy, Italy, 86 minutes) will screen on Tuesday, April 29th at 8:00pm at Edwards Big Newport. The post-screening celebration will take place at the Via Lido Plaza, with select tast- ings from top Orange County restaurants, traditional entertain- ment as well as multiple DJs, and hosted bar by Stella Artois and Tito's Vodka. Select retail partners will also offer special in-store promotions and enter- tainment. Admission to the Italian Spotlight film and the post-screening party is $40.00. For ticket information and updates visit www.Newport BeachFilm Fest.com The Newport Beach Film Festival Italian Spotlight is supported by the Italian Heritage Culture Foundation, the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, L'Italo- Americano weekly newspaper, the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles, the Italian Film Commission, Fondazione Italia, We the Italians, Italia.org, and Film 4 Life. L'ITALO-AMERIcANO STAFF ROSALBA BOccATO Committee Member Nick Costantini and other mem- bers. To date, approximately 80 students have completed their first year of seminary in Southern California with pro- ceeds of approximately $750,000. Key members in the Scalabrini Community of Los Angeles who are involved in the fundraiser are Fr. Leandro Fossa cs, Director of Vocations, Fr. Ramiro Sanchez Chan cs, Director of the Seminary, Fr. Raniero Alessandrini cs, Retired Emeritus, and Fr. Louis Piran cs, Pastor of St. Peter's Italian Church. They have joined forces with the Scalabrini Fundraiser Committee in preparation for the April 26, 2014 banquet. "This is a true team effort, with so many generous and hard- working people involved. We are blessed to have such dedi- cated supporters", remarked Fr. Ramiro Sanchez Chan. The Scalabrini Fundraiser Committee members, lead by chairman Pat Costantini, have set some high goals for this year's event. The committee is working very hard to surpass past years' monetary proceeds so that more students can be enrolled to the seminary. "Even with the economic crisis, we have targeted an additional 10% improvement from last year", commented Pat Costantini. "I'm confident we will achieve our goal, especially since we have such a wonderful group of hard- working members on the com- mittee. We are all engaged and focused to help this noble cause." 2013 Scalabrini Seminary Fundraiser Committee Past Presidents, Lucia Di Masi Rodriguez, Angela Claro, Ann Ruggera, Janie Costantini, Rosa Di Masi Stevens & Marisa Antonini as Master of Ceremonies Margherita Buy in A Five Star Life, the Italian Spotlight film at NBFF 2014. Photo courtesy of NBFF

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